Happy 249th Birthday!
In Congress, July 4, 1776 - The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…
Lest we forget. You and I are blessed beyond measure to be where we are. There has never been a nation like the United States. Written into our founding documents are phrases expressing our reliance on God, acknowledgments that it is our Creator who has given us rights, and systems that allow us to self-correct when we stray from our core ideals. Indeed, we are blessed, not perfect for sure, but blessed.
As God told Abraham in Gen 12:2 - And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing
Because of our blessing we need to bless others. The connection between blessing others and being blessed is confirmed throughout Scripture.
Proverbs 11:25 - Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
1 Peter 3:9 - Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
So, as we celebrate this 4th of July, let us all ask ourselves, “Are we acknowledging our blessing by blessing others?”
“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
God bless!
Pastor Rob