Search This Blog

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Celebrate Freedom - No Longer Slaves to Fear - Enjoy the 4th!

I recently traveled in Bali, Indonesia, on a mission venture. 
I gathered a new appreciation for freedom and America while there. 

As much as America's moral freedom is a trial for believers, her commitment to freedom is amazing.
Supported by the rule of law, we Americans can go after the free exploration of our faith with joy.
We freely express worship and can go after the hearts desire in creativity and expression of God's Kingdom in Christ.
We have free streets, freedom of speech and freedom to move about the world as we desire.


Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are core values that we are free to run after.  

America is an amazing place in light of many other countries and places in the world. 


There is true jungle out there. 
People were known to have been killed by a mob in the streets for stealing a pack of cigarets.
While those with power are equally known to steal from those they are entrusted to bless and govern.

The owner of the home we were staying in in Bali told us a story. 
When the building of the home was nearly complete (actual plan and build totally different money pocketed by land owner estimated at $75,000.00) the owner of the home suggested there be a party for the village as a celebration and welcome.   Everyone would be invited.  About a 1000 people,  the home owner discussed it with the land owner (foreigners can only lease land in Indonesia) and all agreed that a party sounded incredible.  The estimated cost was $5000.00.  In the process the village got word of the event and everyone was very happy to be part of it.  The home owner gave the $5000.00 to the land owner to orchestrate the purchase of food etc....   NO party ever happened.

Alter in Bali - Free NOT to be slaves to fear
The land owner stole the money.  The village people all believed the new home owner promised something and did not deliver and so they were antagonistic to the home owner.   The home owner knew who stole the money but could do nothing about it.  The land owner was powerful and corrupt and well connected.   Any attempt to bring him to justice would have repercussions for the western homeowner.  The prevailing thought in conflict with westerners is "You should not be here anyway.  You are western."  The law of the jungle robbed, stole and destroyed another opportunity for love and freedom in Bali.

I love America in light of this story.  
How does a culture unravel such brokenness?  

America is the land of the free and the home of the brave.  
Brave Christians leave this free land every day and travel into other lands filled with corruption and murder and persecutions to share the gospel of Jesus in power.  They leave freely one of the most free countries on the planet to freely give the gospel of Jesus to the world.
American believers are brave.  Not to say others are not.  But we have an inordinate amount of stalwart Saints who lay down their freedom here to bring the deep and abiding freedom to the World in Jesus.
Brave soldiers leave these shores everyday to protect this freedom.  Thank you!
The sacrifice of so many families is the foundation established in blood for the freedom of our country.   They laid down their lives for us!   So thankful for the brave people who work to keep our freedom.

Great Song....No Longer a Slave - Celebrate Freedom!
https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=youtube+no+longer+slaves+to+fear&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004


Demons and cruel masters don't rule us.  We are not obligated to sacrifice to them to keep the balance or peace.  FREE!

We are free to raise funds, build projects, establish ministries and bless the world with the Gospel in this Country!   Free to have church openly.  Free to write, teach, train and equip the Saints in the way of Jesus.  We are FREE! 
We are free to write on google plus and express our faith in a hundred outlets.  And if there isn't one we feel great about we can create one....Freely!

So celebrate this Fourth of July.  
The story of America is much more about her success in establishing freedom in the world order than all her mistakes and shortcomings.   We are blessed beyond measure to live in such a country.






Thank you Father for this place you have blessed.

God Bless America! 

Thanks for reading.  The dialogue is awesome.  Thank you.
Testimonies?  Share em with me.  
Re-Shares lov em.  Thank you!

With much love in Jesus

You can do this thing!  He's got you. 


Jeff Reynolds   ---
Brother Jeff



jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com

 

No comments: