The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Psalms 19:7-10; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12)
The surest way to God’s heart is through His Word. When you start there. you’ll never go wrong.
The Bible sure is a big book, isn’t it? Really it’s 66 books all in one book. And if you try starting logically at page 1 and barreling straight through to the end , you’re likely to bog down somewhere in Leviticus or Numbers, not quite sure how to the cleansing ritual for leprosy is going to factor into your life. So start reading one of the foundational books of the Bible, like the Gospel of John or Paul’s letters to the Romans, or the books of Psalms and Proverbs. If you want to tackle more, you could set off on a journey through the New Testament, starting with Matthew. Read as much as you can, but only as much as you can understand, not being afraid to read only a verse or two a day as long as you mingle it with prayer that God will use it to shine His truth into your life. As you read, you’ll begin picking up hints of what God’s nature is like, plus new understandings of the Bible’s overall message. Little by little, but quicker than you think, you’ll start developing a mind that thinks like God thinks, because you what God says.
“The Bible gives us heart and hope to make earth like heaven, and to make our hearts and homes a habitation for Christ.” – A.T. Robertson
Tomorrow’s Reading: Still, you’re likely to forget a lot of what you read if that’s all you do with the Scripture. To really let it sink in deep, you’re got to lock it away for a safekeeping.
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to Him, the living Stone— rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. – 1 Peter 2:1-5
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. – Hebrews 5:13-6:2
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. – 2 Peter 3:18
Like starting a new job or moving to a new city, learning to think like a Christian takes some time.
No on enters the Christian life as middle management. Just like there’s only one way in—through belief in Jesus Christ and His death on the cross—there’s only one way up. And it starts on the ground floor. But don’t worry. It’s anything, but boring in the minimum-wage mailroom of Christian maturity. . . for at least two reasons:
Your enemy, Satan, knows that your fire is burning pretty bright right now. He also knows that you’re vulnerable to a relapse (modern attention spans and commitment levels being what they are). He’ll have plenty of temptations to keep you busy once the new wears off.
But on the other hand, God promises you room for steady advancement if you’re willing to work hard in His training program, committing yourself to His word, to His church, to His tried-and-true philosophy of aspiring to bigger things by being faithful in the small things. New blessings and discoveries can spring up from all over when you’re just starting out. You won’t find this much joy in anyone else’s company.
“There is no sweeter manner of living in the world than continuous communion with God. Only those who have experienced it can understand.” – Brother Lawrence
Tomorrow’s Reading: Before anyone starts a new job, he needs to know who the boss is—not just who He is, but what He’s like, what He’s looking for, and how he can expect to be treated.
Celebrate the 4th of July with Video Gaming’s Finest Fireworks!
During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain rule. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:
The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.
Adams’s prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.
Historians have long disputed whether Congress actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that the Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed.
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In 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired in salute, once at morning and once again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.
In 1778, from his headquarters at Ross Hall, near New Brunswick, New Jersey, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute (feu de joie). Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.
In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.
In 1781 the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize July 4 as a state celebration.
In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, held a celebration of July 4 with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. This work was titled “The Psalm of Joy.” This is recognized as the first recorded celebration and is still celebrated there today.
In 1791 the first recorded use of the name “Independence Day” occurred.
In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.
In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.
Boom Boom Rocket (Xbox 360)
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20
Every year on July 4th America remembers its freedom from British rule, but as citizens of heaven who are only incidentally American citizens, we daily have a more significant liberty to celebrate.
What freedom do citizens of heaven have to celebrate?
Freedom from bondage
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
Freed by Christ
John 8:32-36 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Freedom is universally desired
Heb 2:15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
2 Pet 2:19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity–for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
Freed from the law of sin and death
Rom 8:2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Freed from the bondage of satisfying God’s law
1 Cor 9:21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.
Gal 2:4 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.
Gal 4:22-23 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
Gal 4:30-31, 5:1 But what does the Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Freed from the sins committed under the first covenant
Heb 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance–now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
Freed from our sins by his blood
Rev 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
Freed from accusation
Col 1:22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation–
Freed from the power of sin
Rom 6:7, 18, 20, 22 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin … You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness … When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness … But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
Caution: Do not think your freedom is permission to sin
1 Pet 2:16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
Gal 5:13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
Free to approach God with confidence
Eph 3:12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Freed from spiritual blindness
2 Cor 3:16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Freed from the curse of a decaying body
Rom 8:21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
1 John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Free to be a slave to others
1 Cor 9:19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
1 Cor 10:29 the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience?
Caution: Don’t let your freedom from the law lead others to violate their consciences
1 Cor 8:9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
Freed by the law of love
James 1:25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.
James 2:12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom
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