Bible Prep: Psalm 133
Blessings flow when we stand together as a nation UNITED UNDER GOD, willing to defend the rights given to us. The freedom we enjoy comes with the responsibility of every citizen to protect that freedom. May His Spirit be our Guide as we go forward as His people and as Americans who need to guard our land. May we stand UNITED UNDER GOD and...
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in UNITY." -Psalm 133:1
Dear Father God,
The joy of the Lord is our strength; therefore, let us rejoice as a nation and as a people who have been blessed beyond all that we could ask or conceive. Let us pray daily for Your divine guidance, O Lord, and never forget Your favor. Thank You, Lord, for welcoming us to Your throne of grace to receive Your blessing. We pray for our nation to remain firm and steadfast in the knowledge of Your truth and the promise of the victory that is ours through Christ, who loves us. In Jesus Name, Amen. (If My People, pg. 16)
THE COST OF SIGNING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Because of those who fought for our independence, Americans relish the freedoms and liberties granted to us today. Most, if not all, who signed the Declaration of Independence were strong men of faith. Their dedication, steadfastness, and fight for our freedoms led to many physical and spiritual hardships. For example, John Hart was one of the many noted Christians among the Founding Fathers. Tears well up when reading his story. Here's an excerpt from Wallbuilders*...
"Born between 1711 and 1715, not much is known of his family, except that his father helped raise a volunteer army, named "The Jersey Blues," to assist in the French and Indian War. John became a farmer and had thirteen children, and his reputation as "Honest John Hart" earned him the trust of those around him. As such, he helped select New Jersey's delegates to the early Stamp Act Congress that convened in New York in 1765.
Around the age of sixty, John Hart was elected to the Continental Congress, where he voted for the Declaration of Independence with "unusual zeal." He fully understood the personal cost entailed by affixing his name to the Declaration of Independence and quickly became a target of the British for signing that document. Chased from his home and hunted by the enemy, he wandered about the countryside to avoid discovery by the British, rarely sleeping in the same place two nights in a row. He even had to sleep in the "resting place of a large dog" to avoid detection by a nearby British patrol. Several times, he was forced to flee as fast as he could to "save his neck" as it had been "marked for vengeance" by the British.
John finally returned to his destroyed home in 1777 and gathered his family. He began to rebuild his farm and property but never fully recovered his health from the physical hardships for a year. The "sorrow, humiliation, and suffering, wearing out of his bodily strength, hasten[ed] the approach of decrepitude and death."
John did not see the fulfillment of his wish for freedom and independence for Americans, for he died before the end of the Revolutionary War. Nevertheless, he is remembered for having dedicated years of service to his Christian faith, family, and country. He died on May 11, 1779, and "was always known as a sincere, but unostentatious [humble] Christian."
Praise God for John Hart's testimony and willingness to live out his faith in Jesus and God's purpose for him, NO MATTER THE COST. Ask God to show you how to live out your faith today. Where is He calling you to sacrifice for His greater purposes to be accomplished?
Let's pray in unison, as one voice, that God unites us as "One Nation Under God." AMEN!
From My Heart to Yours,
Carla McDougal