2 Timothy 2:15New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Today, as Americans, we celebrate 240 years of American freedom. Men and women who formed this nation knew all too well that America’s freedom would cost lives. Yet, 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence by voting and signing the written document committing all they had for freedom.

Those men resolved that the Declaration on July 4th would be their commitment for our freedom that we experience today. They decided firmly on a course of action and saw it through.

What is your resolve today? Is your commitment not only for freedom in America as we celebrate it today, but is your resolve in your faith? Is there a course of action is seeing it through? These are tough questions on a holiday, but it is important to realize that our faith was also purchased with a resolve.

It says in the Bible in Romans 6:23, ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord’.

We were sinners, consigned to death, and we had no way to stop sinning. Jesus came into this world and lived a perfect life, so death had no hold on him. Yet, by his glorious grace he chose to die on our behalf. He took on our sin and paid the penalty.

Jesus chose a resolve for this course of action by staying focused to the cross, and he saw it through. By doing so, he did it so that we might have life eternal with him. That resolve showed us his perfect love for all men.

Let’s celebrate our Declaration of Independence today and enjoy our freedom. Resolve cost American lives. Resolve in our faith cost the life of Jesus who rose again. Let’s live in freedom and in resolve as we stay the course in our lives pursuing our faith in Christ.

Strength and Courage

Michael