The 4th of July.  A church parking lot.  Bottles of water.  Popcorn. Church members.  The community.  And an idea. What is the connection between all of these things?

Love God…. Love People.  This is a phrase we use frequently here at FBCW.  It’s easy to love God and love people in our church building.  We love our Pastor, we love all of our ministers, we love our Sunday School teachers, we love each other.  The question is, do we show that same love to our community? 

It came to our attention that the church parking lot has become a favorite place for families to gather to watch the Wentzville 4th of July fireworks display.  Our Senior Sunday School Class decided we would like to pass out bottles of water not only to our church members but those from the community who come to enjoy the fireworks as well.  What started out being just bottles of water available turned into a multi-class partnership.  One of the “younger” adult Sunday School classes heard we were going to do this and asked if they could partner with us on the project.  Pretty soon other ideas were discussed and as a result we decided to give away popcorn with the water.  This one simple suggestion turned into a project by the two classes.  Labels were made to attach to the water bottles with the FBCW logo and website info as well as scripture and gospel literature available.  Young and old gathered together to put the labels on the water bottles and get ready for the event.

A table was set up at the door with the water and popcorn and some of our classmates walked around the parking lot to the various groups gathered and handed out the water and popcorn.  More than 100 bottles of water were passed out and almost as many bags of popcorn.  If anyone had any questions about becoming a Christian, there were plenty of people there to talk to them.  If they just wanted to know more about our church, those questions could be answered as well.  Most of all, we just wanted everyone to feel welcome and know that we truly do (here is that phrase again) Love God….Love People.

We felt it was important to show our community we do love them and not just those who attend our services on Sunday morning.  

As Christians, we must always remember that non-believers are always watching us. And, it is our hope that someone on our parking lot on the 4th of July saw something different about us and will have a desire to know what that something is.  Jesus said in John 4:10:  “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water”(NLT).  Let us look for opportunities to tell others who Jesus is.  Hopefully they will also learn to Love God…Love People.

We have all heard the saying “Freedom Isn’t Free.” How true it is and verified by the many military cemeteries here and abroad, where lie buried the many young men who gave their lives for the sake of our freedom.  Unfortunately, we live in a broken world where there are evil forces that would rob of us our freedom.

We have been very blessed to live in a very unique country.  Pilgrims first found their way here to have “religious freedom.”  The founders of our Nation recognized that we were beholden and subject to “our creator.”  They based our Constitution on the principles taught in the Bible.  As a result, God has blessed America and allowed us to grow and prosper more than any other nation on earth.  As Americans, I’m afraid we take many of our freedoms and rights for granted.  When we travel to many of the other countries in the world, we experience “cultural shock,” realizing that there is oppressive government control and they do not have the same “freedoms” we have.

With that being said, what “responsibility” do we, as Christians, have to support and maintain “Freedom?”

First, I would like to start with the response Jesus gave to the scribe who asked which command was most important.  Jesus answered: 

Mark 12:30-31:  “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this isthe first commandment. And the second islikeit, namelythis, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these”.

If we obeyed these commands, it would cover our other “responsibilities.”  Our country has become so divided over the last few years that we find it difficult to “love” anyone who disagrees with us.  Well, I’ve got news for you.  Jesus considers them your “neighbor!” 

Paul gives us more guidance in:

Romans 12:18-21: “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rathergive place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance ismine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good”. 

Does this mean as Christians we shouldn’t be in the military? No, Israel had their armies under Joshua and David and with God’s help defeated their enemies. God says in:

John 15:12-13:  “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”. 

He also tells us in:

Luke 20:25:“And he said unto them, Givetherefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's”.  

We are also told that we should be obedient to authority in:

Romans 13:1-4:  “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resiststhe power, resiststhe ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bearsnot the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to executewrath upon him that doeth evil”. 

Is there ever an exception to this?  Yes, remember when Peter and the “other apostles” were told not to preach or teach about Jesus?

Acts 5:29:  “Then Peter and the otherapostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men”. 

It is only when man’s law conflicts with God’s law that you must choose to disobey!  This brings us to the political aspect of our responsibility.  There are many who run for political office who disavow God, and who would promote sinful practices, such as abortion, homosexuality, and lawlessness.  We should be informed as to a candidate’s values and principals, and support those who hold the values, faith, and vision to lead our Country.  George Washington once said: “It is impossible to rightly govern a Nation without God and the Bible!”  That is the kind of person we want to see in office.

So, we should be willing to serve our Country when called to do so. We should be informed and vote for candidates with the right values.  We should take a stand, and let our voices be heard against evil.

Mark 8:35-38: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for hissoul?Whosoever therefore shall be ashamedof me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels”. 

The most powerful tool we have is prayer.  Many times, we find ourselves depending on our government or our military to protect us, when it is God Who is in control of all things.  He said in:

2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

We need to continually be praying for our Country, our leaders, our brave military, our ministers, those who disagree with us, and those who are lost. Then we need to put all our hope, trust and dependence in God and accept His will:

Romans 8:28:  “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to hispurpose”.

God Bless,
Dan Hubbell