United we stand....

What is unity?

It is the state of being joined together...."to be as one".

The blending of many different pieces into one common entity.

We live in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...

yet lately, we seem very divided.

Almost 250 years ago, our nation was oppressed by a

British government who demanded they pay taxes 

for things they didn't agree with. 

The nation stood together against this common 

enemy and declared it's independence!

The founding fathers knew that divided we would fall! 

If the American people were split up into little groups, 

they would eventually bicker among themselves and never

make progress against the true enemy that oppressed them.

So I ask you....how united is our nation right now?

Do we Americans have a common enemy? 

Are we fighting it or are we fighting among ourselves?

The pledge of allegiance for our country is as follows:

Allegiance means loyalty. This is a promise to be loyal to 

your country which is to stand indivisible!

In 1954 during the threats from the Communist, President Eisenhower

 added the words "under God" to this pledge. Why? 

The Washington Post quoted him as saying...

...the new version would add "spiritual weapons 

which will forever be our country's most powerful resource"

The phrase was not his own....they were borrowed from 

Abraham Lincoln and his Gettysburg Address....

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. 

It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. 

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

I believe our nation is seeing the pains of an internal war. 

The elections this fall will be a big factor in determining how well 

this nation created of the people, by the people and for the people 

will survive the next few decades.

"In God We Trust" is the country's motto....is it yours?

Is this thing on?

LIGHT...

...one of the those modern advancements that we use EVERY DAY!

We are a generation that has forgotten 

how to live without electricity.

We are very accustom to flipping up the light switch

 and....ta-da....let there be light!

But what happens if we switch on that desk lamp and nothing happens?

What could be wrong?

Perhaps the bulb burnt out....time to get a new one.

Perhaps it is not plugged in....better check the outlet.

So I ask you...how bright is your spiritual light?

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see 

your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." 

Matthew 5:16

Is it on today? Can other people tell?

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of 

the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,

but will have the light of life." 

John 8:12

A follower of Jesus has the light of life within 

them and that light should be noticeable 

in contrast to this dark world.

Let's take a look at this illustration of a lamp, 

electrical cord and outlet with a spiritual viewpoint....

Without plugging the cord into the outlet, this lamp 

has no power and cannot shine on it's own.

In the same way, all of humanity is sinful and disconnected from God.

"When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, 

so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned." 

Romans 5:12

Every person has been born unplugged and there is only One that has 

the ability to reconnect us to the power source of life.

JESUS

He died for each one of us so that we may be connected to His Father. 

Jesus is the only one able to take the cord and plug it into 

the outlet, thus providing us a connection to the power of God.

"Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also 

raise us up through His power." 

1 Corinthians 6:14

Once we are reconnected to God through faith in Jesus, 

we are given the promised Holy Spirit.

"You heard and believed the message of truth, the Good News

 that Jesus has saved you. In him you were sealed with 

the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promised."

Ephesians 1:13

Our life light is switched ON and ready to SHINE

 by the power of Holy Spirit!

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, 

but gives us power, love and self-discipline"

2 Timothy 1:7

 Each day we will have struggles and battles to overcome. 

That is why we need to get some rest each night.

Then every morning, we can ask the Holy Spirit 

re energize us and switch the light back on.

"Give us today our DAILY bread" 

Matthew 6:11

"Be [continually] filled with the Holy Spirit" 

Ephesians 5:18

If we get too distracted or busy with this world, 

we are still plugged into the outlet but we are

not shining His light because we have not

asked for the daily power to live in Christ.

So, I ask you.....is your life light shining?

If not, first check the outlet and then the daily switch....

Contrast.....

Have you watched the news lately?

One quick log onto the internet shows 

violence, death, terrorist attacks....daily!!

All of this evil, hatred and war....

It could bring fear into our minds....

It could bring hopelessness into our hearts....

OR, it could bring the clarity of contrast.

When war spreads, the desire for peace grows.

When hatred flows, the need for love increases.

We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy...And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.      Titus 3:3-8

People sometimes ask why would an 

all-powerful God allow evil in the world?

Perhaps it is to display our desperate need for good. 

You don't need a hero if there isn't a villain.
You have an enemy my friend....

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls 

around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8

But you also have a hero that longs to save you.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand 

slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone 

to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

Only after you realize you are lost 

does the need of rescue become clear.

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge..Turn your ear to me, come quickly to 

my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

Psalm 31:1-2

Redemption is complete only after you admit you are broken.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those 

who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

An old wound re-opened...

Four years ago we moved out of a 

wonderful, safe and comfortable neighborhood...

downsizing to a small house in downtown Waconia.

To be honest, I didn't really want to move....

it was hard for me to say goodbye. 

Goodbye to great neighbors...

...to a peaceful, quiet street.....

...to a beautiful wooded lot....

...to the many perennials I had

transplanted from previous moves...

...to a life I thought I would be 

in for a very long time...

But, the decision to take this leap of faith was a blessing. 

One year after we moved, Bryan lost his job which would have

been very stressful with our previous financial situation.

But our new cost of living at Little Blue made it manageable. 

Time slowly moved on and the pain hurt less and less. I didn't

feel the loss of leaving it all behind as often anymore.

When we started meeting with our old small group this winter,

I really didn't think it would be that hard to visit Hunters Crest

once a month and spend time in that old neighborhood....

I was wrong.....it hurts. 

I look around and see all the kids biking on nice 

sidewalks and playing together on big playgrounds 

in their backyards. I see all the beautiful yards 

with gorgeous landscaping and decks with grills....

And the wound of my heart tears open a little bit again....

I actually ask myself, was it really worth it?

Life in this old house isn't easy....

Our roof is falling apart, our backyard is

covered with clovers and weeds. We still have

about 30% left to renovate inside.

And yet my heart has a tough time investing in our

house again. We poured tens of thousands of dollars into

our other house....for what purpose? Just to have it

look nice? Is it wrong to have a nice backyard to relax in? No.

Yet my heart breaks because there are kids in other countries

 dying because their water is contaminated.....am I okay with that?

They don't have bikes or playgrounds with curly slides....

they wonder if they will have any food to eat today.

How can I justify pouring money into a piece of property that 

won't last for another century when there are people dying

out there....people who may not know what will happen to

them after they die....am I okay with that?

I know we did the right thing by moving....

it just hurts sometimes....