may God bless America?

"WOOO!!! HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!! IT'S INDEPENDENCE DAY!!! WHERE'S MY AMERICAN FLAG BIKINI?" 
- a woman we will see in social media pictures today

It's a weekend of celebrating our country and the freedoms others have fought for.

Sometimes we struggle with this... 

whether we are cynical of government or wave the flag every chance we can - including the unique aforementioned bikini.

There's wisdom on all of this in the Bible. It instructs us to see an honorable government as a way to honor God, and for a government to be honorable to God in how it treats its people.

Even when the government does not live up to its role, we are still to live up to ours.

The catch is when a government asks us to do or support something that is in direct disobedience to God’s Word. In such times, we are to put God first, trusting in His power to protect us here or take us into the world to come.

Those who take this kind of stand for God stand in good company.

One example we can read about involves some young men who took a stand by simply doing that - standing up when everyone else bowed down in resignation at the risk of punishment.

Our persecution might be name-calling or shunning. Their persecution involved being thrown into a blazing fire.

"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." (Daniel 3:17-18)

The question this weekend isn't if we're blessed to live in a country like America.

We are blessed.

(Eat a hot dog and a brat and a burger alongside of a slab or watermelon and a diet coke... if you need proof.)

The challenge with a "blessing" is to not turn the blessing into an indulgence to do whatever we want but to be responsible and God-honoring with it.

That's the true nature of a blessing -

not "Woo hoo! Look at me! Let's do anything and everything with it!"

but "How can I use what God has given me to further what He is doing in this world?"

May God bless America?

Only if we begin by blessing God as America.

"America was founded by people who believe that God was their rock of safety. I recognize we must be cautious in claiming that God is on our side, but I think it’s all right to keep asking if we’re on His side."  - Ronald Reagan

Are you in?

guest post: growing pains

From Rosemary Edwards, Admin Connection of Connection Church

Sometimes it is so easy to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, especially when it brings about absolute joy and leads to visible life.

There are those times however, when it can be very difficult and create sharp growing pains. 

The difficulty came for me recently during my prayer time. I began to sense that God was leading me in a different direction that I didn't quite understand and didn't want to accept.

Can you relate?

For me this involves the role I've filled over the past several years in the Body of Christ in my staff role. God is telling me to move in a different direction now, which means serving as a volunteer in a new way. I'm not going anywhere, but the method that I serve in is going to be something different. As I continue to pray though this, what started out chaotic and become a growing excitement for what is in store for me next.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:15-16:

“Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." 

As this “body part” called Rosemary Edwards experiences “growing pains,” I look forward with great expectations to my next journey with our Lord and Savior. Likewise, as my openness to God helps our church body grow as a whole, let us each examine our role to see if our “body parts” are fitting into the big plan.

• Is each of us in tune with the Holy Spirit? 
• Are any of us feeling nudges and stirrings that we are not yet paying attention to? 
• Is God calling you in a way that is uncomfortable? 
• Are you turning a deaf ear to Him or are you answering the call?