THE WHOLE WORLD’S EYES ALWAYS ARE ON ISRAEL.

Right now there’s a pull for Jewish votes between President Obama and presumptive Republican presidential candidate Gov. Mitt Romney.

How does God feel about Israel? Will the tiny nation surrounded by enemies who want to wipe them from the earth survive Iran’s nuclear bomb, Syria’s wars, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah or even the United States turning its back on them?

The prophets Isaiah and Zechariah are among those who wrote about Israel’s future. The Jews were scattered over all the earth after the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Then, after World War II, they began coming from all directions back to their country and became a nation in 1948. It’s the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s vision of the Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37) that ended up as the spiritual song that connects the skeleton one by one. “The toe bone, the foot bone, the heel bone, and on and on. Here are the words of Zechariah:
“Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein,” Zechariah wrote in Zechariah 2: 4-11. “’For I,’ saith the Lord, ‘will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

“’Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spead you abroad as the four winds of heaven’, saith the Lord, ‘for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven,’ saith the Lord. ‘Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.’ For thus saith the Lord of host; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

“’ For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants; and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me.

“’Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee,’ saith the Lord.
“’And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee.”

Here’s what Isaiah wrote about what will happen in Israel during end times: “I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

“The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength: Surely I will no longer give your grain to be food for your enemies; and the sons of the foreigner shall not drink your new wine, for which you have labored.

“But those who have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord; Those who have brought it together shall drink it in my holy courts….

“Indeed the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the world: Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Surely your salvation is coming; Behold his reward is with Him, and His work before Him.’ And they shall call them The Holy People. The Redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City not Forsaken” (Isaiah 62: 6-12).

One final good word from Zechariah 13:1: “In that day there shall be a fountain opened in the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness.”

But it’s not all good news. Read these books of the Bible and be amazed.

The Joker

The JOKER
Much attention has been focused on “The Joker” after the recent terror in a movie theater in Aurora, Colo.
The Joker is a supervillain and the archenemy of Batman. In the movie, The Dark Knight, the Joker is a fictional character in a strange mask and dark clothing. He is a maniacal criminal mastermind who terrorizes.
I’m not a movie goer, but it seems strange that this movie probably will make millions. Society has unusual tastes in entertainment.
The Joker reminds me of another devilish character—Satan. In fact, the fictional character had nothing to do with what happened in the Aurora theater. It was this archenemy of humankind. He—Satan—planted the diabolical thought in the young man’s mind, and the devil was at the death scene.
For it was he who caused humankind to die in the beginning. It was he who tempted Eve to disobey God, and Adam followed. It was Satan that told the first woman that God wasn’t telling the truth.
“You won’t die!” said he.
Previously they had been immortal. But it wasn’t long after their sin when they stood at the graveside of their beloved son Abel,—murdered by their other boy, Cain.
Because God wants us to choose whether to serve him, he allows Satan to run loose. Scripture tells us to be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We’re also told, “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy: I am come that they might have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10NIV).
Yet the Bible says all we have to do to get rid of this monster is resist him: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). It tells us in James 2:19 that demons tremble at the sound of the name of Jesus.
We’re told Satan can mimic God’s miracles (Revelation 16:14) and we are to put on the whole armor of God so that we can resist the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:10,11).
The victims in Aurora became casualties of a man who submitted to Satan, not by any act of their own. They were innocent.
According to a joke I heard recently Satan and God were having a discussion.
“I can do anything you can,” the devil boasted.
“Okay. Make a man.”
So Satan bent over and began scraping up dirt.
God put a hand on his shoulder. “Use your own dirt.”
In the end times, Satan will be bound and cast into a bottomless pit. After a thousand years, he will allowed out for a short time after which he will be cast into the Lake of Fire, and will be tormented forever and ever (Revelation 20:7-10).
Our Heavenly Father will issue the sentence. That’s justice.

You'll love Bonnie Leon's books

JOY TAKES FLIGHT

Kate Evans and Paul Anderson are finally married, settling in, and starting a family. They rejoice when Kate finds she is pregnant, but soon it is clear that there are hurdles ahead. Should she continue in her dangerous profession as an Alaskan bush pilot? Can she really fall into the role of a wife? Then tragedy strikes, life begins to unravel, and Kate fears she may have lost Paul for good.

Bonnie Leon is the author of nineteen novels, including the recently released Joy Takes Flight, book three in the Alaskan Skies series, the popular Sydney Cover series and the bestselling Journey of Eleven Moons. 

She enjoys speaking for women’s groups and teaching at writing seminars and conventions. These days, her time is filled with writing, being a grandmother and relishing precious time with her aged mother.

Bonnie and her husband, Greg, live in Southern Oregon. They have three grown children and seven grandchildren.

Interview with amazing author, Bonnie Leon

Interview with Bonnie Leon

      I know Gayle Ranney is an Alaska pilot who provides info for your flight stories. Have you ever flown over Alaska and landed in a small plane?

No. Never. I’ve only flown on commercial flights, and once in a friend’s helicopter. That was fun. I relied on Gayle, my brother, Bruce and I read lots of books about and by bush pilots. Bruce also provided lots of aerial photographs he took while flying over portions of the state.

2.      Can you tell readers how you researched medical symptoms which show up often in the book?

I used a variety of sources—internet medical sight, my doctor and medical books. And for a couple of conditions firsthand experience from family.

      You also pick the brain of your brother, Bruce, who lives in Alaska. Do you view Alaska as a whole different world from what we experience on the U.S. mainland?

Yes, in a sense. It is cut off from the Lower Forty Eight. And life in Alaska, even in this modern era, can still be a challenging place to live. There are nearly as many pilots as there are drivers because so much of the state is inaccessible by road. In fact, my grandparents homestead still can only be reached by plane, boat, or snow machine or dog sled during the winter months.

Many Alaskan residents seek the frontier lifestyle and are still panning for gold, trapping and living a subsistence life style. My brother is one of those and my sister lives in a remote area where she and her husband rely on the ocean almost exclusively to provide the protein part of their diet.

Even in Anchorage you’ll find moose and bears roaming the neighborhoods.

      How do you write about coming down on the ice so realistically with the bounce, the vibrations, and the crunch of the plane on the ice and snow. I’d think it takes more than research and interviews.

It is mostly research, but I do have a good imagination and can visualize a lot of what pilots and passengers experience when flying. What made it possible to create the scenes realistically was the input of people who experience flying all the time—like Gayle and my brother. They filled in the gaps for me. Gayle’s expertise is the only reason I was able to plant readers in the cockpit of Kate’s Bellanca.

      Are you mechanically inclined, or were descriptions of necessary plane inspections before each flight a challenge?

I am absolutely not mechanical and in the beginning the scenes were a challenge. The inspections and repairs came straight from Gayle. She has been flying for so many years so she’s experienced most of what I wrote about and what she didn’t know, she knew where to find the information. Sometimes she’d direct me to an internet site where I could get what I needed in order to describe a scene. I can remember watching and rewatching one illustration because I just couldn’t “get it”. Finally it came together in my mind and I was able to recreate for an incident in the book.

      What did Kate do as a character that frustrated you as you wrote? Were you tempted to change her?

When I wrote the first book in the series, Touching the Clouds,  I felt something was wrong. When I turned the manuscript in to my editor she responded quickly with “Something’s not right. Fix it.” I didn’t get much else from her. I remember praying and asking God to show me what I needed to do. The answer came quickly – the characters weren’t right to tell this story. It’s been so long ago, I can’t tell you who they were in the beginning, but I remember transforming them as I reworked book one.

What I do know about the Kate who ended up on the page is this – I admire her courage, perseverance and determination, but I was sometimes frustrated with the self doubt that raised its ugly head from time to time, even though I understood why she felt that way. From book one to the end of book three, Kate grew a great deal, maturing and gaining confidence as well as an assurance that if she placed her life in God’s hands that He would lead her along the right path.

I must add that there were times that I had to agree with her mother and her husband and wished she’d be more careful.

      Kate and Paul have many conflicts, just as most newlyweds. Despite their exceptional love, disaster strikes and their lives begin to unravel. This happens so often to marriages in real life. Was it a challenge to find something or remind them of what they must hang on to?

       

It wasn’t difficult at all. I’ve lived a good many years and have been married forty-one years so I know real life. My husband and I’ve been through heartache and sorrow, we’ve had to find our natural and spiritual roles in our marriage. What Paul and Kate experience, though in somewhat extraordinary circumstances is the same things all couples must learn. 

I relate with Kate. I can be stubborn and if my husband tells me, “No,” I naturally rebel.  However, he almost never does. I’ve been blessed with a man who is not threatened by my abilities and strengths. He’s always encouraged me be exactly who I am. He’s terrific.

      Is there inspirational takeaway as Kate and Paul grow spiritually or in character?

Throughout the series there is more than one theme. But the one that speaks to me most loudly is that we each have a path to walk and our path doesn’t look like anyone else’s. God has an individual plan for each of us. And if we want to live within His will we need to begin with Him. If we surrender to Him there is nothing we can’t do and life may be hard but it will be full of joy and adventure.

1  How many books have you written?

Up to this point, I’ve published nineteen books, all of them series except for one stand alone.

.  This seems to be the last in your series Alaskan Skies series. If so, what is your next writing project?

It is the last book in The Alaskan Skies series. I am now stepping into a true life story and writing it as a memoir. I’ve never written this type of book and I have a lot to learn. It hasn’t been easy, but I’m getting into the rhythm of this style of writing and the story is so amazing that I’m having a great time.

A Cherokee woman who grew up in an Athabaskan village in Alaska asked if I would write her story. At first I didn’t think it was for me . . . that is until she started telling me about her life. Soon I was crying and thinking that maybe I was meant to write it.

This gal has lived an incredible life—some of it is magical and some so tragic that I’m in awe of how God restored the spirit of a battered girl who grew up to love him and understand how great his love is for her.

A REASON FOR JOY

WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

A good laugh always makes us feel good. Solomon said it’s like medicine. But do we have joy that goes beyond how we feel when we watch a good comedy, buy something wonderful, or accomplish a difficult goal?

When I get grumpy I remind myself that Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation. But be of good CHEER. I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33).

I used to play the piano and organ at church during altar services. I could always tell on the faces of the people when they were born again or touched God for a need. I could see the joy on their faces. Sometimes people wept with joy. Others cried out like a fan whose team hit a home run. Most got up from their knees, grinning and hugging.

I’ve seen a few people dance  with joy—like the healed lame man  in Acts 3:1-12 who when Peter touched him, ran into the temple walking and leaping and praising God.

That’s real joy!

Here are more scriptures about joy.

Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:9-11

And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
Luke 24:51-53

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
John 15:10-12

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
John 16:21-23

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
John 16:21-23

Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."
Acts 14:16-18

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 20:23-25

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
John 15:10-12

whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
1 Peter 1:7-9

We write this to make our joy complete.
1 John 1:3-5

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.
2 John 1:3-5

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—
Jude 1:23-25

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?
1 Thessalonians 2:18-20

ARE YOU HAPPY? How about joy unspeakable and rivers of living water?

How about joy unspeakable and rivers of living water?

When my siblings began giving their hearts to the Lord the year I was born, it scared Mama. My sister, Marjorie, went to the Holy Roller church!

Mom went with her the second time and was so afraid she sat on the step outside and listened. Finally, she got up nerve to go inside.

Actually the people weren’t swinging from the chandeliers (there weren’t any), but when Marjorie committed her life to Jesus she was so changed for the better, obeying her parents and so filled with joy that my parents noticed. Other siblings, invited by their friends, joined Marj.

I grew up attending that Pentecostal church and I’ve been Pentecostal all my life. Although I’ve witnessed many miracles and changed lives, I never saw anyone roll in my church.

Bit I experienced the joy in our house, which was filled with singing and music. My siblings had a purpose to their lives and went on to establish businesses, and to higher education and productive careers—all the time filled with contentment and joy.

I can’t figure out why the people who coined the phrase “Holy Rollers” didn’t come to church to figure out about why people were joyful. We did used to get pretty loud in our singing and sometimes people shouted when they knew their sins were wiped away, their deaf ears were opened, or a loved one came to the Lord. If you watch how people act on Wheel of Fortune when they receive money or prizes, that's the response folks had when God touched their souls.

People used to peek in the windows of our church to see what was going on. Some came inside weeping and gave their lives to Christ.

Christians don't have to be Pentecostal, however, to experience this joy because it comes from submitting to our Heavenly Father and knowing Jesus.

I tell the story of my family’s conversion; how I came to a commitment; miracles , signs and wonders I've seen; and what it was like being Pentecostal in my book, Confessions of a Pentecostal, first published in 1978 by the Assemblies of God’s Gospel Publishing House and released in April as an e-book. An epilogue reveals some of what has happened since 1978.

Confessions of a Pentecostal is available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088OP460

As I said, joy is a byproduct of knowing God. Here are a few scriptures that speak of joy. Since I found so many, I'll give you more later.

                                        ***

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8).

Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart” John 7:38).

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you” (Psalm 5:10-12).

You will show me the path of life;In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:10-11).

For His anger is but for a moment,His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

Sing to Him a new song;Play skillfully with a shout of joy (Psalm 33:3).

Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God (Psalm 43:4).

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit (Psalm 51:12).

Shout with joy to God, all the earth! (Psalm 66:2).

The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing (Proverbs 10:28).

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3).

But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead (Isaiah 26:19).

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isaiah 35:10).

 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:12).

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3).

So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word” Matthew 28:8).

He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth” (Luke 1:13-15).

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people (Luke 2:10).

Zucchini can be a model for writers and Christians

ZUCCHINI: A MODEL FOR AUTHORS AND CHRISTIANS

 An author, or even a Christian can be like a zucchini. What? How?


 A Zucchini plant is prolific. Well, few plants can outgrow or produce more than zucchini. With little attention, they pop out of the seed, shoot above ground, and spread their talents over the garden like they were writers trying to tell the world about their upcoming books. If a person plants more than a couple of hills, gardeners start running down strangers trying to give them some..

2.       Zucchini is versatile. There may be more recipes for this edible gourd than any other plant grown in the garden. The fruit/veggie can be made into most anything for the table—and I wouldn’t be surprised if I heard whittlers even used them to practice carving. Even the beautiful blossoms are edible and are a delicacy fried.

My husband’s favorites are breaded and fried zucchini slices and z-bread made from my stepmother’s recipe. Z-fruit is great in salads and stir-fry. I have several recipes for zucchini casseroles, and I recently made zucchini quiche.

One time when we had a big family dinner and it appeared there wouldn’t be enough food, my sister grabbed zucchini, cut it up like potatoes, cooked and mashed it with plenty of salt, pepper and butter. It was delicious and filling. A niece taught me to grind zucchini, freeze it in small containers and add to soup.

I’ve even made cinnamon pickles out of zucchini, and you couldn’t tell them from the cucumber pickles.

3.      Zucchini is susceptible to garden hazards. Many blossoms don't make fruit because they aren't pollinated and some fruit shrivels and dies on the vine. But most plants still produce and abundance. Yet, with all that production, the zucchini plant doesn’t do well in hot, dry weather. The plant is so susceptible to disease and squash bugs it could die in only a few days after an attack. 

APPLICATION: Do you see yourself anywhere here? If not, I’ll share how I see similarities between me and a zucchini.

I PRODUCE: Ideas (blossoms) by the dozen and some bear fruit.

I’M VERSATILE:  I’ve written numerous articles, stories and created puzzles for Sunday school papers and Christian magazines. Curriculum was another achievement. I’ve authored two novels and three non-fiction books. My chapters appear in five other books.

During my career as a reporter, I wrote thousands of newspaper articles. I produce a blog and do guest blogs.

I’M SUSCEPTIBLE TO WRITER’S RISKS: Discouragement and ego problems can wipe me out in a hurry. I need to stay focused, do my best and leave the rest up to God—being willing to take critiquers’ and editors’ advice for improving my work.

A CHRISTIAN AS A ZUCCHINI: Is God’s Word planted into the good soil of my heart, being watered, and producing fruit? Am I willing to do whatever the Lord calls me to do, and do it with all my might? I remember a verse I memorized as a child: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the place of the dead), where you are going” (Ecclesiastes 9:8-11AV). Am I ready to quit as soon as a hot wind of adversity blows, or bugs of gossipers attack? Am I strong enough to resist when Satan tempts me with a disease of sin?
Even if I come under attack like a z-veggie covered with squash bugs or nearly destroyed because of blight, I can gain victory with a few sprays of the Word and the Holy Ghost's cleansing, healing power--and be victorious!
THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT ZUCCHINI

Nutritionists believe zucchini is almost like a multi-vitamin, with vitamins, minerals, antioxidents, fiber, all poured into that amazing green container (the skin) high in beta carotene—and low calorie!

Filled with God’s wisdom and the Holy Spirit we also can uplift others.

Yes!  The lowly zucchini is a model for us all.

© Ada Brownell 2012

Why July 4 celebrations set off rockets in my soul

The familiar shuffle of a fireworks rocket shooting out of a tube and into the sky filled the night air. Light streaked from the rocket’s tail. Although I expected it, I gasped with delight when it exploded into gigantic circles of color, accompanied by a symphony of booms.

      Being a journalist, however, changed the way I look at everything. I’d interviewed one of the pyrotechnics fellows who set up the displays and wondered where he was and if everything was going well. I knew dangerous and even fatal accidents sometimes occur.

      Then I asked myself, “How many thousand dollars did the city say they would spend on the July 4 event?”

      Obviously other viewers were having more fun than I. But being a newspaper reporter and writer isn’t all bad. Asking questions, especially “Who? What? Where? Why? How?” enhances my life. Not the questions themselves, but the answers.


LIBERTY
      For instance, I’ve done stories and commentary about liberty, the lack of it, or the powers that be that would like to destroy it, so that readers would understand our joy and why fireworks is the way we’ve celebrated freedom from the beginning.

      John Adams wrote a letter to his wife, Abigail, about the rejoicing he expected to result from the signing of the Declaration of Independence. “The second day of July, 1776,” (he was off a couple of days from the completed signing and the day chosen to observe it) “will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

In 1777, the first anniversary of the signing was celebrated with an official dinner for the Continental Congress and 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks.


FREEDOM'S SONGS OF JOY 

We hadn’t done all that today, but I could hear a band playing patriotic music. The crowd around me took up the tune and “God Bless America” echoed from the throats of the thousands gathered on the hillside as well as from the instruments. A soloist earlier sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and the phrase “land of the free,” reminded me of the high cost of freedom.

A significant number of those who left England and sailed to America fled because of religious persecution. During the trip and hardships of establishing homes and finding food in a new land, many died—including children. But they were free to worship as they wished.

But freedom wasn’t guaranteed. As the colonies grew they became linked with each other and a mercantile system established based on the exchange and sale of goods. By the end of the 1700s, England officials realized they had the makings of an overseas empire and the British eventually gained control, even taxing Americans.

The freedoms so many coveted were becoming lost in the hours of toiling to carve out livelihoods. There was no guidance and even the Pilgrims tried to make everyone in their colonies Puritans.

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Then the RevolutionaryWar and an important document—The Declaration of Independence—changed everything.

Now as we sat on property owned by the state of Colorado, I remembered “God bless America” resonating in the night air, thankful for the document that begins, “When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and so assume among the Power of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God entitle them, a descent Respect for the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.

“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….”

Liberty. We rejoice because of freedom. Rockets explode in our souls as we thank God for freedom eo worship God as we believe His Word instructs us; we are free to teach our children and our children’s children our beliefs; pursue our own dreams; and respect these rights in others.

LIGHTS OF LIBERTY NOT EXTINGUISHED BY THE WINDS

No wonder we spend money on fireworks that are here only for a moment. The joy of freedom doesn’t diminish with the grand finale, the fading of the brilliant displays and the last boom.

 The lights of liberty don’t blow away like the smoke with the wind.

We pack up our blankets, the cooler, and thread our way through the crowd to go home and scriptures run through my mind, “Stand therefore in the liberty where with Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yokes of bondage” (Galatians 5:1) and “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

OUR CHOICE AND EVEN GREATER INDEPENDENCE
  

  With God we not only are given choices, but we can be set free from the chains of sins and as newborn creations in Christ, we are set free from the “law of sin and death.”

Now that’s supernatural freedom. No wonder rockets seem to go off inside me at the thought. The death sentence is gone and I and my family will live forever. Sin is gone. Light sparks within me dynamiting away unbelief, fear, guilt, burdens, and joy unspeakable becomes reality.

Now that’s an even greater Independence Day.