I sat belted into my seat, waiting in of a row chairs that were attached as part of a simulator. The room became dark and the machine rose into position. Soon, I felt as if I were riding in the sky as my seat gently moved to make the trip seem more real. The scenery on the screen around me was beautiful, as was the accompanying music. But after a time, I noticed I was not feeling too well. I had become too engrossed in the ride and had not closed my eyes enough or looked elsewhere in the room to avoid getting dizzy. By then it was too late. I just sat and endured until the ride was over and I once again had my feet on the floor.
All too often, this can be what happens to us in life. We can become so focused on the cares of the world—the things we want to accomplish and our hectic daily schedules—that we neglect the well-being of our souls. The result is that we begin to feel sick and disoriented in our hearts, even depressed by the thought of continuing on. We begin to endure life because we must, rather than truly enjoying it.
God did not intend for us to just endure life. He meant for us to feel joy and contentment, and to take pleasure in the fruit of our labors. (See Ecclesiastes 3:13.) However, to do that, it is important for us to remember the Source of true joy. Psalm 16:11 tells us, "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." If we do not keep our focus on God as we go about our daily business, we will become disoriented spiritually and will suffer as a consequence.
We can enjoy peace in our hearts every day if we will just look away from our cares for a short quiet-time with the Lord. Have you ever tried sitting down in a comfortable chair, closing your eyes, and simply talking to God? Thank Him for the good things you enjoy. Turn your cares over to Him. Let His peace fill your soul.
Does life ever make you feel as though you are on a rollercoaster or merry-go-round? Do you feel there is no way to change? Try taking an occasional break. Stop and talk to the best Friend you will ever have. He is waiting to hear from you.
Celebrating the Fourth
Some religious sects, believe Scripture teaches we should not keep such things as holidays in remembrance. They arrive at this opinion through misinterpretation of Scripture. We should not observe occasions dedicated to pagan gods, but other events like birthdays, anniversaries, and historical events help us to remember who we are as well as remember and sometimes relive the movement of God in the lives of men through time. This is important for one of the ways God is revealed is through His dealing with mankind in the events of history. God even uses the Feasts of Israel, which are annually kept in remembrance in the fulfillment of His prophetic timeline.
One of the important events within my family tradition is the Fourth of July. As I learned more about my family history over the years, I grew in knowledge about why this was such an important date to us. Sadly our past had not been retold from generation to generation. The closed mouthedness had come about because even the family name had been born in flight and hiding from persecution. So eventually our generations became hidden even from themselves. Only certain peculiar traditions remained such as the overwhelming love of freedom and independence.
Within my own house we have developed some traditions for the fourth. For instance we love to watch or listen to the 1812 Overture. There was one year the Boston Pops was perfectly synced with Army cannoneers, and it was a beautiful thing unequaled since. I would be perfectly content to watch that performance over and over. We missed that this year unfortunately, but my wife and I enjoyed the movie 1776. It is a musical about the Declaration of Independence and while not totally accurate quite enjoyable.
One of the things I noticed this year, that I had missed in preceding years about the movie was it contains Benjamin Franklin's warning against swapping freedom for security. In the end you have neither. Another thing that is emphasized in the movie is that freedom is not derived from the ruler but emanates from God. In the Declaration of Independence the opening says "When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with one another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitles them…" As Kerry L. Morgan states it, "By invoking the "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" the 56 signers of the Declaration incorporated a legal standard of freedom into the forms of government that would follow. The theory of freedom adopted was simply that God's law was supreme and gave freedom. The phrase "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" referred to the laws that God in his capacity as the Creator of the universe had established for the governance of people, nations and nature. These laws are variously described as the laws of Creation, God's Creation laws or as the framers elected to refer to them, as the laws of nature and of nature's God. This body of law, whatever it is called, can be ascertained by people through an examination of God's creation, the text of the Bible, and to a certain degree, instinct or reason."
As I told my beloved wife as we closed our day, "In all of human history there has never been a nation the like of this one. And when it falls we shall not see its like again." I believe it is a country God made for a specific purpose, would to God we fulfill it.
Some religious sects, believe Scripture teaches we should not keep such things as holidays in remembrance. They arrive at this opinion through misinterpretation of Scripture. We should not observe occasions dedicated to pagan gods, but other events like birthdays, anniversaries, and historical events help us to remember who we are as well as remember and sometimes relive the movement of God in the lives of men through time. This is important for one of the ways God is revealed is through His dealing with mankind in the events of history. God even uses the Feasts of Israel, which are annually kept in remembrance in the fulfillment of His prophetic timeline.
One of the important events within my family tradition is the Fourth of July. As I learned more about my family history over the years, I grew in knowledge about why this was such an important date to us. Sadly our past had not been retold from generation to generation. The closed mouthedness had come about because even the family name had been born in flight and hiding from persecution. So eventually our generations became hidden even from themselves. Only certain peculiar traditions remained such as the overwhelming love of freedom and independence.
Within my own house we have developed some traditions for the fourth. For instance we love to watch or listen to the 1812 Overture. There was one year the Boston Pops was perfectly synced with Army cannoneers, and it was a beautiful thing unequaled since. I would be perfectly content to watch that performance over and over. We missed that this year unfortunately, but my wife and I enjoyed the movie 1776. It is a musical about the Declaration of Independence and while not totally accurate quite enjoyable.
One of the things I noticed this year, that I had missed in preceding years about the movie was it contains Benjamin Franklin's warning against swapping freedom for security. In the end you have neither. Another thing that is emphasized in the movie is that freedom is not derived from the ruler but emanates from God. In the Declaration of Independence the opening says "When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with one another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitles them…" As Kerry L. Morgan states it, "By invoking the "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" the 56 signers of the Declaration incorporated a legal standard of freedom into the forms of government that would follow. The theory of freedom adopted was simply that God's law was supreme and gave freedom. The phrase "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" referred to the laws that God in his capacity as the Creator of the universe had established for the governance of people, nations and nature. These laws are variously described as the laws of Creation, God's Creation laws or as the framers elected to refer to them, as the laws of nature and of nature's God. This body of law, whatever it is called, can be ascertained by people through an examination of God's creation, the text of the Bible, and to a certain degree, instinct or reason."
As I told my beloved wife as we closed our day, "In all of human history there has never been a nation the like of this one. And when it falls we shall not see its like again." I believe it is a country God made for a specific purpose, would to God we fulfill it.
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