May 29, 2006

 

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. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

 

--Genesis 12:2-3

 

On this special day when we remember all the brave men and women who have given their lives to ensure the freedom that you and I enjoy, I’d like to talk briefly about how we as Christians are to respond to the blessings God has bestowed upon our country. 

 

This response can be summarized in the acrostic of the word patriot:

 

P stands for pray.  We’re to pray for our nation, our leaders, and for those whose minds and hearts are blinded and seduced by the god of this age.

 

A stands for accept.  You and I are to accept the responsibilities of citizenship, which includes paying taxes and voting.

 

T stands for the word treat.  Each of us is to treat our freedom with care because it was bought with a price.

 

R stands for resist.  Resist the temptation to trade spiritual values for material values.  Remember that God is interested in your character more than your money!

 

I stands for identify.  We’re to identify places where we can make a positive difference in our community.

 

O stands for overcome.  You and I should overcome acts of evil with acts of grace, kindness, and goodness.

 

And T stands for thank.  We need to thank God regularly for our salvation and for the privilege of living life in this God-blessed nation.

 

It is my prayer that the Lord would help you become a patriot for the Lord Jesus Christ today!  

 

WE SHOULD THANK GOD FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF LIVING IN THIS GOD-BLESSED NATION.