Celebrate Freedom

Romans 6:6-7

knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.

Good morning Zebras,

Americans love their freedom and this weekend we will celebrate it.

July fourth is celebrated because it is the day in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed. It does not really mark the beginning of the Revolutionary War because the start of the War and the "shot heard round the world" occurred over a year earlier on April 19, 1775 at Lexington. And it does not really mark the end of the struggle for freedom from England because it took six years of war to win England's surrender on October 19, 1781 in Yorktown.

Then why is this the day we celebrate?

It is because on this day America said they weren't going to take it anymore. Up to that point they had been trying to resolve their differences with England. After all it was the home country of many colonists and they didn't really want to have to go to war. But England's behavior left them no choice. They were tired of being pushed around.

Are you tired of being pushed around? Has sin got you on the run? Make this weekend your own personal declaration of freedom.

Jesus came to earth to redeem us not only from the penalty of sin, but also the power of sin. But too many of us are like Lt. Hiroo Onoda who was sent in 1944 by the Japanese army to the remote Philippine island of Lubang. He was never officially told the war had ended so for 29 years Onoda continued to live as if he was at war.

We are not at war, the battle has been won. Live like a winner.

Love,
Jill