July 17, 2011 A Sure Foundation, Part 4, Liberty Came by Prayer

Sometimes we take for granted the Liberty of our country, and the Liberty of our Salvation. Our country was rescued from tyranny, as was our soul.  Jesus rescued our soul with His Own Life.  Quite a few of you have sat here in this house for the many years that I have been the Pastor.  The Message never changes; it is an ongoing Biblical Path leading us through the pages of God’s Holy Word.  Could it be that when we have walked a path many times, we tend to not notice the beauty of the flowers along the way nor the sweet smalls that come from the honeysuckle or dog wood trees.  It has become a familiar path and one might say I could walk this path with my eyes shut. This is where Christianity is today, walking along the path to Eternal Life, but not noticing the pitfalls, the changing terrain, just quietly ambling along. Our country was salvaged by Prayer. Prayer & God’s Word are the elements that breed a “Sure Foundation.”  It is well noted that our Forefathers read the Bible, they prayed. There was a Thanksgiving Proclamation October 3, 1789, President Washington declared, “It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor.” Our country as walked the path of righteousness in its origin, but today it does not notice its need for Almighty God.  In our spiritual life, the Word & Prayer paved the way for our Eternal Life.  Jesus, being the Word of God incarnate, knelt in the Garden of Gathesme and Praying until He sweat great drops of Blood. He is the only “Sure Foundation” that we have, and this Foundation was built on the Sacrifice of His Life.  America prays, even today, when there is a disaster!­ But with the Prayer comes Sacrifice.  America has moved away from Sacrifice, as the Word of God has warned, 2 Tim 3:1-5:  Perilous times shall come, men will be lovers of their own selves, blasphemers, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, traitors, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. We must maintain our “Sure Foundation” with the Word of God and Prayer.  Laboring with you in Love that we might be fruitful in these perilous times. Pastor

“Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.” President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

“Liberty has its life in Christ, who has washed us in His precious Blood and put within us His Holy Spirit. Our Christianity is daily earned and refreshed in His Word and on our knees - else like the fig tree whose roots yielded no fruit, it withered and dried up.”  Loving you, Pastor