Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

The United States Declaration of Independence, which was primarily drafted by Jefferson, was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The text of the second section of the Declaration of Independence reads:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I want you to think about a few things:

When you have government controlling all aspects of health care there will come a time when those in control of government will decide whose life is worth receiving life saving care.

When you have government providing for your every need there will come a time when those in control of government will decide what you deserve and need.

When you have government regulating all activities there will come a time when those in control of government will decide what is best for you to be happy.

The founding fathers of the United States wrote our constitution to protect us from government controlling our lives. They knew very well because of King George's example what it meant to have government trying to control every aspect of our lives.

They knew that government involvement in our every day lives would mean a reduction of LIFE, limitations on LIBERTY and a restriction on the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS.

I have a question for you: What part of your life, your liberty and your happiness are you willing to let government decide is best for you?

236 years ago the 13 colonies fought a war for freedom from a repressive government. 150 years ago a great war was fought in our country. It was a war all about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It was a war to hold this country together and resulted in the releasing of a people from slavery. Now 150 years later we are faced with a new war. It is a war for the heart and soul of free people. This coming fall an election will take place that could be the most important election ever held. In this election we will make the decision to either remain a free people or to become enslaved to a new and more powerful repressive government.

As a Christian my first pledge is to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ but a part of that pledge is to seek justice and liberty for the repressed. I am not ashamed to admit I am a conservative and that I will vote for the conservative candidate. As a conservative I am for less government control and more personal responsibility.

The reality is no human government is or will be perfect. It will always be flawed by the fact that it is a government of fallen human beings. The only government offering true Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness is the one that our Creator is King of.

The purpose of this post is to get you to think about your own thoughts about Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Your idea may not be like mine but I hope you will take the time to really think how much you want another person deciding those three things for you.

What If the Mayans Are Right?

Actually the Mayans did not predict the end of the world. Their calendar just ends. What could that possibly mean?

It could mean the end of the world and if so as Christians we should rejoice for this would usher in the rule of Jesus over the entire world and God would eventually the coming of the New Jerusalem.

It could mean the Mayans just simply could not picture the world lasting this long. In that case most of us probably would agree that it is amazing that humans haven't wiped each other off the face of the earth along with all other life. For me it just proves God's plan is not accomplished yet.

Often we as Christians get all caught up in the speculation of how and when the end will come. We get so focused on pre-rapture, rapture, post-rapture stuff that we end up not doing what Jesus told us to be doing.

Matthew 28:19-20

The Message (MSG)

^18-20 Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."

We are not given the job of either convicting people of their sins by pointing them out to them. We are not commissioned to convert anyone to our way of life.

Simply put our job is to be an example of how Jesus lived and to teach that to others. As the seed we planted in their life begins to grow we are to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Then we are to mentor them in the way of life Jesus taught.

Now I do not believe it is wrong for us to debate or discuss whether there is a rapture or not but I do think when we get so focused on it we take our eyes off of what God really wants us to be doing.

What are your thoughts?