Good morning. This is a special weekend. Yesterday we celebrated July 4th. Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States, on July 4, 1776. It’s all about freedom. There are many today that are of the opinion that we, in America, are losing or are in danger of losing our freedoms. This is a sad thing to be said about the “land of the free and the home of the brave”. But today we draw our attention to a greater freedom. Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines freedom as “A state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement. Freedom is personal, civil, political and religious. There is a spiritual freedom that is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ. John 8:32 states, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” V.36 states, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” That’s real freedom!

The Truth refers to the Bible. “Thy word is truth”. It also refers to our Savior. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” In John chapter 1, the Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Later in the chapter the Bible says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” This is a tremendous promise from God to all who will believe and receive it. You can know the truth! That truth will set you free!

Free from the law—oh, happy condition!
Jesus hath bled, and there is remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

I John 5:11-13, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW (emphasis mine) that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

Paul and Silas were put into prison in Acts 16 because of their preaching. They were beaten with many stripes and believed they would be put to death the next morning, but at midnight, the darkest hour in time and experience, they “sang praises unto God”. God used their message and their song to minister to many that night. They were released the next day! Their spirits were liberated before their bodies. God is able to put a song in our heart as well as in our mouth.

Many fear death. Paul said for the Christian, “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”. Hebrews 2:14-15, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had thee power of death, that is , the devil,” “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to BONDAGE.” (Emphasis mine).

In Christ alone! – who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe.
This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid, Here in the death of Christ I live.

If you watch or listen to the news, you will be constantly questioning what is truth and what is untruth. The news is certainly not the place to find encouragement. It promotes fear and distrust, criticism and even hatred. “If it wasn’t for bad news there would be no news at all.” Truly the Bible gets it right in Proverbs 18:21 where it says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” It goes without saying that we need to know the truth! “Thy word is truth.” John 17:17. We are told in the Scriptures to “speak the truth in love”. What a blessing! But we can also use truth to hurt and not to help. What a shame! God desires us to use our words to encourage, comfort, guide and instruct. He “speaks peace”.

God has given us two ears, but one tongue, to show that we should be swift to hear, but slow to speak. God has set a double fence before the tongue, the teeth and the lips, to teach us to be wary that we offend not with our tongue.
Thomas Watson

Five, or six, ten people shall be made temporarily wretched because one person, unconsciously perhaps, yet supremely, egotistic and selfish, has never learned to control his disposition and bridle his tongue.
James Aughay

The true test of a man’s spirituality is not his ability to speak, as we are apt to think, but rather his ability to bridle his tongue.
R. Kent Hughes

God tells us in His Word that the tongue has incredible power. We can use our tongue to bring blessings and life or curses and death. The saying “sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me” is simply not true. Our tongues can be the most difficult thing to control and leave us with great regret if we use our words to hurt. There is hope! The Bible tells us that with the help of the Holy Spirit we can have power and control over our tongue.

I Peter 3:10, “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.”

Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.”

Titus 3:2, “To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.”

Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”

There are many more verses, but the principle is the same. You can be or blessing or a curse. A help or a hindrance.

“When men speak ill of you, live so that nobody will believe them.”
— Selected .

“A sharp tongue is the only edge-tool that grows sharper with constant use.”
— Irving .

“By examining the tongue of a patient, physicians find out the diseases of the body and philosophers the diseases of the mind.”
— Justin .

“The most ferocious monster in the world has his den just behind the teeth.”
— Unknown .

“Give not thy tongue too great liberty, lest it take thee prisoner.”
— Quaries .

“Never throw mud. You may miss your mark, but you must have dirty hands.”
— Parker .

YOU DON’T FIX THE TONGUE UNTIL YOU FIX THE HEART.

“My son, give me thine heart.”

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY

“A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” – Billy Graham

“How true Daddy’s words were when he said: ‘All children must look after their own upbringing.’ Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” — Anne Frank , German Jew and Holocaust Victim

“Mothers play an important role as the heart of the home, but this in no way lessens the equally important role fathers should play, as head of the home, in nurturing, training, and loving their children.” — Ezra Taft Benson

“I was raised in the greatest of homes … just a really great dad, and I miss him so much … he was a good man, a real simple man … Very faithful, always loved my mom, always provided for the kids, and just a lot of fun. — Max Lucado , Christian Author

There are many different ways of describing a “good” Father. Because of different perspectives, there are different descriptions. Biblically, a Father is to love and provide for his children. He is to “train up a child in the way he should go:…”, Proverbs 22:6. “…but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”, Ephesians 6:4. I Timothy 5:8 states, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.” Children should know that they will be loved, protected and cared for.

In Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7, Jesus is giving His “Sermon on the mount”. Chapter 7:7-11 states, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” “For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?” “Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?” “If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

How good and gracious is our heavenly Father! Like the song says, “He giveth and giveth and giveth again!” But what does He give His children? “He daily loadeth us with benefits”, “Every good and perfect gift cometh from above”, “His mercies are new every morning”. He gives comfort, peace, forgiveness, wisdom and instruction, guidance, etc.

In our video portion of today’s Devotional, we will be looking at John chapter 4, the story of the woman at the well. Our Lord gave that woman a great Gift that day that changed her life completely. May you know and receive the Gift of God and say with the Apostle Paul, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift”.

In Ephesians chapter 2, we find some wonderful statements about our Lord. Beginning in verse 14; “he is our peace”, “so making peace”, “came and preached peace”. Peace with God is made possible for mankind by the sacrifice of our Lord on the Cross. You can read about this in Ephesians 2. By accepting our Savior we make peace with God and then we can enjoy the peace of God. Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Dr. Ruffner said, “Good men love peace, pray for it, seek it, pursue it, will give anything but a good conscience for it.” Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers…” Romans 12:18, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with all men,…” James 3:17, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable…” James 3:18, “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

Live peaceably. Follow peace. Peaceable.

Them that make peace. Peacemakers.

This is a great experience, but not always possible. David said in Psalm 120:6-7, “My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.” “I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.” Spurgeon wrote, “My kindest words appear to provoke them, and they are at daggers drawn at once. Nothing pleases them.” We all know someone like that and maybe even have been someone like that. Console yourself with the fact that both David and David’s Lord endured the same trial without becoming bitter. David’s son Absalom wanted to destroy his father and take the crown and the kingdom. It is ironic that David named him Absalom which means “peacemaker”. What a disappointment he was to David and yet David never stopped loving him. David wept at his son’s death and cried, “O Absalom, would God I had died for thee.” Jesus was a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” and yet He said “Father forgive them, they know not what they do”. He never became bitter, He never stopped loving those who crucified Him.

Someone said, “Peace is not made with friends. Peace is made with enemies.” Thank God when we were enemies, (read Ephesians 2) Jesus made peace with the blood of the cross.

Do you wish to be like God? Arthur Balfour wrote, “The best thing to give your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to your father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity.”

“All men desire peace, but very few desire those things that make for peace.”
Thomas A Kempis

“Five great enemies to peace: greed, ambition, envy, anger and pride.”
Petrarch

“For most men the world is centered in self, which is misery: to have one’s world centered in God is peace.”
Donald Hankey

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!

You would do well to read Psalm 61:1-4. David is praying for God to answer his prayer of help and protection. He says, “…when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” To be overwhelmed is to be crushed beneath something, something that is weighty and burdensome…cares, afflictions or business. We are all overwhelmed at times. Psalm 102:1, A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come before thee.”

…lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

…and let my cry come unto thee.

Some troubles are provoking, some are perplexing and some are overwhelming. They are all part of the wear and tear of life. Psalm 55:5, “Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.” Adam Clarke wrote, “No man ever described a wounded heart like David. Job spoke about those “kicking a man when he is down”. Job 6:27, “Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and dig a pit for your friend.” How different is God’s instruction to us. II Corinthians 2:7, “So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.” Sad to say that many times people don’t treat us as God would have them treat us. Many times, others do not even know about our deepest sorrows. There is ONE who will never leave you nor forsake you. So David cries, “Help Lord!”

“Be still and know that I am God” “As thy days so shall thy strength be” “My grace is sufficient for thee” “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace” “He is our refuge and strength” “Come unto me…I will give you rest unto your souls” etc. etc.

SOMETIMES WHEN WE GET OVERWHELMED, WE FORGET HOW BIG GOD REALLY IS.

“Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

David prayed in Psalm 123:3-4, “Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.” “Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.”

Contempt is bitterness, “lest any root of bitterness trouble you”, and yet he prays not for judgement but for mercy for his heart and soul. The reproaches of men are an encouragement to look for special help from God. In these very troubling times our prayer is “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I”.

Micah 6:8, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”