The Value of Freedom-Memorial Day

Relationship Cherry Blossoms

They Died For Our Freedom

Let Us Take A Stand In Their Honor

I wish you a blessed Memorial Day Weekend!  My prayer is that you will enjoy time with family and friends on this holiday.  Let us never forget the lives given throughout our history by brave men and women in our Armed Forces to keep us free.  They are gone but not forgotten as our Nation continues in freedom due to their sacrifice and the loss suffered by their families and friends who continued life without them.  Pause during this weekend to honor their memory with gratitude for the price they paid for you and your family and for our United States of America.

Key Issues This Week In The News

As I predicted last week we are at the tip of the iceberg as more information comes forth on the scandals facing our Nation.  James Rosen’s (Fox News’s chief Washington Correspondent) personal emails, phone records and even phone records of his parents were seized yet Attorney General Eric Holder (who previously recused himself from the Associated Press leak investigation) just “wasn’t sure” or did “not know” what took place when questioned in House Judiciary Committee hearings.  We now know thanks to NBC News that he signed the warrant for Rosen’s records himself.   In case you missed it, this past Thursday President Obama assigned the very same Eric Holder the job to look into the situation at the Department of Justice.

Lois Lerner, the head of the tax division on exempt organizations invoked her Fifth Amendment rights at the House hearing on the IRS scandal.  This career civil servant who is a member of the Senior Executive Service invoked the fifth after she rendered an opening statement declaring her innocence of any wrong doing.  She is now on administrative leave as she refused to resign.  If this leave is with pay her salary will be paid by we the people.  Her annual salary was $177,000 plus a bonus of $10,620 in 2012.  I suspect her admin pay will far exceed what most taxpaying Americans make.

Do Not Be Deceived

What do these things and all that is unfolding have to do with Memorial Day and each of us as Christians?  From the inception of this country brave men and women have fought to uphold the rights of each and every American.   We have the right to know that our elected leaders are fulfilling their commitment to us.  We vote them in to protect our rights and our country.  If we are targeted because our beliefs differ from those of a given administration these elected officials are not upholding what previous and current generations died for on battlefields all over the world.

Although it is good that we circulate via social media what is taking place, I reiterate that contacting our representatives is critical in this season.  If they do not hear from their constituency (us) they serve without knowledge of our concerns on these grave matters that stand before our country today.  The freedoms that we have heretofore enjoyed are at risk as long as “the law is considered irrelevant,” First Amendment rights of freedom of religion, press and expression are threatened, our military code to leave no one behind is ignored.

The Solution Rests With Each Of Us

Let me reiterate, this is not a Democratic problem.  It is not a Republican problem.  It is not a racial problem.  It is an American problem.  The issues that are unfolding daily affect us all and threaten our very freedom if allowed to continue.  Laws exist to protect us.  They are quite relevant to our free society.

On this Memorial Day remember those who served.  Just as important to honoring their memory is for us to remember what they were fighting to defend…liberty and justice for all.  Again, have a blessed holiday weekend.  Pray about contacting your representatives.  Keep on knocking until the door to righteousness is once more opened for America.

Quotes to Ponder This Week

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”  Jesus throughout the Book of Revelation

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6)

nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure.”  President Abraham Lincoln

What difference at this point does it make?”  Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in reference to why four heroes were killed trying to defend themselves during a terrorist attack against the United States Consulate in Benghazi.

“I can’t speak to the law here.  The law is irrelevant…the activity was outrageous and inexcusable, and it was stopped and it needs to be fixed to ensure it never happens again.”   White House senior advisor Dan Pfeiffer on the IRS scandal to George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulos”

“I believe that those of us in public office have a responsibility to be humble, to make sure that we represent the will of the people who sent us there, that we’re honest with them…This arrogance of power that we see in this administration – whether it be Benghazi, the IRS scandal, the fact that the Justice Department is going after the news media – raises some very serious questions.” House Speaker John Boehner in an interview to Fox News’s Greta van Susteren

A Prayer Request

Thank you for your continued faithfulness to pray.  Please keep all who serve our country, our servicemen and women and their families in prayer for salvation and safety.  They are our frontline on the battlefield, let us be their frontline in the spirit.  Also, let us cover all who have come home wounded that they and their families will receive the kindness, help and support they need to go forward in their lives.  God bless all our diplomatic and military personnel and their families.  Please pray for all in authority over us, for the full truth to come forth concerning Benghazi and for safety in Israel.  Pray for those affected by tornadoes and severe flooding in our country this week.  Pray for those in London and throughout the world for hedges of protection against radical Muslim extremists and all forms of terrorism.   May God richly bless the United States of America and keep her safe.  May we may arise united in this auspicious season in our country’s history.

Please Join Me In Prayer

Father we thank You that on this Memorial Day that we will have eyes to see what You have endowed this Nation with since its inception.  We thank You for the right to be free.  We know that freedom comes first and foremost from You.  Let us each stand in this time for our right to remain free in this country You have placed us.  We pray for all of our service men and women and their families that You will place protective hedges around them and grace them to serve.  Instill in us the wisdom and knowledge to go forth in this season.  Let us not forget, oh God, Your law that is the foundation of our country.  Let us hear what the Spirit of the Lord would say to Your people in this time.  We pray this in Jesus’ name.  Amen and amen.