JESUS & DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE INCOMPATIBLE?

On the surface, that headline carries a strange question! But is really? I was studying the Book of Ecclesiastes recently and in Chapter 2,  the "Preacher" - King Solomon - expounds pleasure. This led me to a study of the philosophy of Epicureans. The comparison with King Solomon and 21st Century America is uncanny! Solomon in his corrupt heyday did what was right in his own eyes, just like people today. He was the ultimate Epicurean.

Now, there is a misconception that Epicureans believe only in "wine, women and song".....or "eat, drink and be merry because tomorrow we die" and many carnal christians themselves believe and practice that lifestyle. Unfortunately, this included one of the most liked of America's Founding Fathers and most famous author of the American Declaration of Independence - Thomas Jefferson.

Contrary to creative historian David Barton, Jefferson was not a born-again Christian but a legitimate Epicurean libertine and Exhibit A of the current decline of America to where it is heading today- downhill with no brakes! Why would I, a born-again believe and support of the Founding Documents of the Greatest Country ever created by man make such a statement? Well, let's read what Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence "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 (Paragraph 2)

There it is - "THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS"! Thomas Jefferson did NOT proceed to say that the Pursuit of Happiness is because of the gospel of Jesus Christ or the pursuit of the God of the Bible. But Jefferson did say this phrase IMMEDIATELY following his statement on the "pursuit of happiness" - "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

There it is! Unless Jefferson's love of the word "Government" is the original Biblical Greek word for "God", the Founding Father and creator of a modern US political party is guaranteeing that "safety and happiness" comes from government! This is typical Epicureanism where this philosophy's true belief was not just hedonism but a painless concept of "happiness" and metaphysical pleasure as the greatest good!! 

Is this what God - in the Form of The Son - JESUS CHRIST - died for on Good Friday almost 1980 years ago? Did the Creator of the Universe, the Ancient of Days, Who poured Himself out and humbled Himself and let corrupt politically corrupt religious leaders persecute, torture and execute Him on a Cross...did THAT GOD do ALL of this so that we should pursue our happiness as one man...sure he was a founding father,  etched in stone? Did Jesus DIE in Vain?

The answers to all of the above is of course, NO. The Lord Jesus gave His Life, as part of the eternal plan of God to rescue mankind from itself and restore him/her to a right relationship with Him. As we reflect on the Passover and Good Friday, on the Holiest week for both Jews and Christians, never lose sight of this.

We have so-called men and women of God - from pastors of "evangelical" and African-American churches falling all over themselves to endorse a Biblical oxymoron "gay marriage". We have young so-called "christians" in colleges like Biola, Wheaton and in America's megachurches not just thinking it is okay, but compartmentalizing God and secular culture so they can support the new trends AND be pro-choice on Abortion, while acting like a fool with their hands in the air to some loud praise band with their theological pants on the ground. None of these people could hold a candle to Pastor Saeed and others in the worldwide persecuted church...and in fact these same clergy and young "christians" will face the Wrath of God on Judgment Day.

The Cross is the great Divide. When the Lord Jesus gave up His onetime earthly life and said "IT IS FINISHED" - it WAS finished...and decided once and for all. Jesus is called The Word many times in the Bible...and He is deadly SERIOUS About His Word. He said so (every jot and tittle). That includes not just everything from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, but every syllable of every letter in between. Those religious types from the pharisees of the Sanhedrin; to the liberal clergy of North America to young "christians" playing church with their lattes and smart phones will be held to account for crucifying the Son of Man again and again and again with their heresies.

The Cross is the great Divide. The Pursuit of Happiness is not the problem, the means to it is. If the "Joy of the Lord" is your strength, we are on the right side of the Cross. If our happiness and pleasure are found in the things of and created by man and his corrupt culture, we ARE on the WRONG side of the Cross. So there really is a choice. 

The Choice is - do we choose the fleeting happiness of the world, which comes with bondage and chains to a captive philosophy OR do we choose today "to be with Him in Paradise"? You see, it really does come down to which side of the Cross you are on. As for me and my house, we will choose the Lord.  This fleeting life is measured in terms of what others say about you for 10 seconds on some news cast when it should be marked with the Seal of Approval from the Only One Who matters - Jesus Christ. Your happiness and mine should be defined by our repentance and acceptance and confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9).

THAT SHOULD BE OUR PERSONAL DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE...BECAUSE IT IS THAT WHICH HAS SET US FREE AND LOOSED US INTO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM....NOTHING ELSE. THIS IS WHAT THE CROSS SHOULD MEAN TO US - AMONG OTHER THINGS - IT SHOULD BE A SYMBOL OF OUR FREEDOM FROM THE CAPTIVITY OF SIN....AND A PROMISE OF TRUE JOY AND HAPPINESS IN THE COMING ETERNAL KINGDOM, IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN.

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.....Galatians 5:1 (NASB).

DAY 37/40 DAYS OF PRAYER FOR AMERICA

PRAYER FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

(Already Constitutionally & Biblically guaranteed)

"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed"...John 8:36
"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery"....Galatians 5:1
Fast forward to the Constitution of the United States: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances" (FIRST AMENDMENT")

We have absolute proof that 1. Absolute Freedom comes from the One True God of Heaven and 2. It is guaranteed by the highest Law in the Land.

Since the dawn of time, man has tried to oppress other men...to take away freedoms endowed and bestowed by God, in order to promote selfish agendas. Today is not different. While these people come and go, in the course of 5773 years of creation, their evil legacies live on and will only be resolved when Messiah - the true Commander in Chief  of the World - Jesus, returns.

Jesus set us free from the yoke and bondage of sin, if we repent and put our trust and faith in the Lord and Savior. He did this on Calvary. No human (or demon) can take that away. The Founding Fathers gave all, along with the Continental Army, and guaranteed that Freedom, not just in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution, but here in the Declaration of Independence "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".

Yet in the pursuit of death - abortion on demand, we have an American government mandate that the people of God violate their God-given freedom to "free exercise thereof" and pay for readily available contraceptives, if they are employers. This includes ANY religious and christian- based hospital; university; bookstore; hotel; BIBLE Publisher  and more! Included in these contraceptives mandated by the secular, increasingly anti-Christian government, are abortion pills or pills that induce abortion immediately after sex (aka...the "morning after" pill). This is not the act of Christian people, or followers of Christ. This is power gone mad and an stunning acknowledgment to the abortion industry led by Planned Parenthood and others.  If this is not stopped by the Courts and/or Congress, which has a duty under the First Amendment to protect Religious Liberty, next will be the ability to preach from pulpits from Bible! There are already politicians and liberal "christian" theologians, who in their support of gay "Marriage", want to ban Romans 1 from being preached. Already in Canada, priests have gone to jail for that. In Canada, pastors and priests are being told by secular authorities they MUST perform "marriages" of gay couples, regardless of what the Bible says or conscience. This is the slippery slope on which the United States is heading, if personal and religious freedoms, guaranteed by the US Constitution and underlined by the Word of God, are not protected NOW!

So Father in the Name of Jesus, we know You said that in this world, we will have many troubles, trials and tribulations and that You have overcome the world, but for the first time ever in America, we see its own government violating not just the Founding document of the Constitution, but we see them spitting in the Eye of Christ and all that is holy, but demanding YOUR people pay for the furtherance of the evils of Abortion and an immoral lifestyle. Father, first of all, we pray this evil policy into Your Hands knowing that once the solution comes from You, there is no appeal! We pray for the protection of innocent life from the purveyors of abortion who are Planned Parenthood and Marie Stopes and from those who are promoting it in the public square. We pray for Your people who run bed and breakfasts or photography services etc and refuse, on Biblical grounds, to do so-called gay "marriages" then get persecuted by society and local courts and governments. Lord we know their reward is in heaven, while those who persecute them will be sent to eternal judgment away from You, but we pray that they will continue to do as the Bible says that they will continue to "keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery" of those who support evil and call it good.

We pray for leaders of government, the social compact and even those so-called religious leaders in liberal "christianity" who are not different from Caiaphas and those who persecuted the Lord Jesus, because every act done against Your Word and Your unborn babies - now up to 54 million since 1973 - is an act against You. We pray that even though they know they are violating Your commands and decrees, that they will cease this, repent and be saved. Lord, we also pray for those church leaders like the Roman Catholic bishops who are out there this morning proclaiming the Gospel of Life and liberty across America, while Your protestant preachers stay silent ....and especially those who command popular acclaim. Father, bless those bishops and priests who speak Your Word from pulpits this day as well as men like Billy and Franklin Graham and the few solid local preachers around the country, who are putting those big name preachers to shame, by their bold stands for Biblical integrity and life. We pray for men who will stand on Romans 1:16 and really mean it, when they say "I am not ashamed of the Gospel", Lord. We pray You gave them courage and boldness but most of all, You give Your elect and those who stand for righteousness a double portion of Grace, Power, Hope, Love, Protection and Covering in the Shadow of Your Wings, in these evil times...until such time, as the Lord returns, in Jesus' Holy Name, amen.

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline"...2 Timothy 1:7