Weapons Of Words Past and Present
Lesson 4
As we open this lesson let us look to our symbols of who we are. If we are Patriots the symbols over us is
our Banner, The American Flag.
If we are Christian, the symbol is Our Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour who is Love. Let’s see how these can
unite.
It is interesting to note the loosely official first flag was The Grand Union of 1776.
But it was so similar to Great Britain's flag (the enemies), that it was confused as
to whom they stood for.
Many still wanted to align with Britain (but not all it’s policies) that is why it looked
like Britain’s flag. But in battle it was confusing for the troops to see.
Are we confused as to who we stand for?
Then in May of 1777 Betsy Ross finished our really first official American Flag. We were floundering before,
not wanting to completely break from what we knew as a governing body. In June of 1777 our new flag was
presented.
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution authorizing a committee to devise a seal for
the United States of America. This mission, designed to reflect the Founding Fathers' beliefs, values, and
sovereignty of the new Nation, did not become a reality until June 20, 1782. In heraldic devices, such as
seals, each element has a specific meaning. Even colors have specific meanings. The colors red, white,
and blue did not have meanings for The Stars and Stripes when it was adopted in 1777. However, the
colors in the Great Seal did have specific meanings. Charles Thompson, Secretary of the Continental
Congress, reporting to Congress on the Seal, stated:
Our flag now.
So we then adopted it for the flag. I glean from this that it was not an easy task to solidify all that makes this
nation great into one flag/banner. This Banner holds deep meanings for us once established.
In our lives as Christians we also have a Banner. In the Greek-huperupaoo- this means raise the highest
position, above all others, exalt.
Psalm 60:4
4 You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth.
We display our banner because of truth. What is our Banner?
Song of Solomon 2:4
4 He brought me to the banqueting house,
And his banner over me was love. NKJV
Isaiah 5:23
26 He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, NKJV
Ok, we know that we are to be like Jesus. We are to attune our steps to His essentially letting Him take over
our steps. We know that Jesus is “The Prince of Peace”
Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
1 Timothy 1:5
5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from
sincere faith NKJV
You may be saying, What! You said to stand up that we must Fight and Not Sit. How Do I fight and
love at the same time?
WE MUST KNOW OUR ENEMY.
Who is the enemy in our circumstances right now?
Satan. He is our one true enemy. All things evil comes from him because of absence of light. He is a master
of deception.
We are at a place right now that may seem a bit confusing. But when you know your enemy, it is very clear.
Is the enemy the people who are blindly doing things against Christians, many of which think they are doing
good? No, the enemy is Satan. Although it is very frustrating to hear many of our leaders spewing deception
and others following; our mission is against Satan.
We must be courteous and loving, we must also tell the truth boldly. You can love someone and still stand
up for who you are in Christ. You can still stand for the truths that we hold self evident. God is our Creator,
We are a Christian Nation. Boldness and Love can go hand in hand. God gives us words to guide us
through sticky situations.
Where does Standing up for our rights fit? Paul did just that. He and Moses and others are our example.
We must seek God’s face, pray for those who spitefully use us.
Matt 5:43-6:1
43 Love Your Enemies
Luke 6:27-31
"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who
curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek,
offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30
Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.
31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
From this I glean that whatever it takes to stand firm, we stand firm, Whether in life or death. If we are struck
across our cheek, We do not back down. You can strike my other cheek, but I will not back down. You can
take my goods and I will give them up, but I will stand for what is right. I will not waver.
Luke 6:27,28,32-36
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to
you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for
those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;
for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the
same?47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax
collectors do so?48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
But you may say, They are evil. The Bible says they are bound. We must Stand against the evil in them
while loving the person. This is not an easy task but, this is our orders from our upmost Commander and
Chief.
This does not mean not addressing issues, it means addressing issues with the light of Christ guiding our
way and helping us to love difficult people and praying against the deception of this nation. Speaking out
against the deception, for God stands for all truth.
As we look at Paul-
Acts 23:1-3
Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, "Men and brethren, I have lived in all good
conscience before God until this day."
He is courteous and kind at this moment.
2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.3
Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according
to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?"
He does not back down. He tells the truth when attacked.
Don’t let us be confused about who we stand for. Let us not look like them. The Grand Union Flag was
confusing and confused the armies. We should stand on Christ and our Countries Founding Fathers
Principles.
So what do We Do? The Power of prayer is mightier than the sword.
We pray for a united front from Christians against all evil in this Nation.
We pray to God to forgive us or sins ourselves and as a Nation.
We Pray for the deception that is over our Nation right now to be revealed.
We pray for our leaders. We pray for our armed forces.
We pray for all mothers of the unborn.
We speak up as the Lord guides us to stand against deception
We remember to love our brothers as ourselves.
Boldly proclaiming truth as the examples are in our Word of God.
We must always place God before government.
We will continue-
Home American Christian
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"The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used
in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies
purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the
color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies
vigilance, perseverance & justice." Also this from a book
about the flag published in 1977 by the House of
Representatives... "The star is a symbol of the heavens and
the divine goal to which man has aspired from time
immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light
emanating from the sun."
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