08/23/2026 I was so struck this afternoon by awaking from most blessed Sunday nap, and the thought occurred to as it usually does when I get back into a spiritual, prayerful mindset, that right then I was totally at liberty to make many choices. This time passed as we got working on different things: cooking, bible time, and restful game-playing. I got some work done and then later when I went to the gas station, where I really had it hit me pretty hard that all of us there at the gas station, from all different walks of life, races, and life circumstances, faiths – that we, too, had it in our power to choose life over death. We have the ability to choose what we want to drink, where we were about to drive, and who we would speak with. What I am getting at is that I came to realize the great freedom in this country we have, at this moment, we owe to a divine inspiration from God, laid upon the hearts of man, to enact legislation and documentation and governing authority so that we could have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is really a divine revelation if you think about it, that is, the idea of giving the men and women of the country the right to choose their religion, speech, press, etc. FREE WILL. Such a high and lofty, majestic and noble thought really does supercede everyday thinking. And its root was Christianity, whether the founding fathers were really truly Christians is another matter. But the concept of free will is divine! I really was thinking hard following from that thought on the thought that the walk with Christ is so unique to us Christians in that God didn’t force us to worship Him, and this is very original as in comparison with other religions. The word for God controlling us is called “Monergism”, that is the idea that God is pulling strings on us like we are marionettes, and we don’t choose this or that. I think anyone who is honest with themselves for about 5 minutes of self-reflection and assessment could come to the conclusion that they are indeed in control of their own selves, for the most part. Some people have issues that make them more dependent and I’m not talking about that. Many of the gods (which as demons if they’re not Christ) offer affluence, nobility, riches, prestige, and power, even peace. But among them, there are gods who are ultimately cutthroat, non-benign, malicious, and often demanding gods that don’t allow for much communion unless you get suicidally dedicated to them.

The God of the bible draws us by just simply offering us the truth. We sinned apart form God’s law: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. But He doesn’t leave us there; He gave us the remedy after we received the bad news. “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). He offers us life and more abundantly than we would ever have, offering us access to the Father any time we want. “The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly” (Jesus)(John 10:10). The Lord died to give us a life filled with joy and bringing others to know Him as well. Because Jesus’ death is so severe, its no surprise that God wants the kingdom of Heaven to be all about Him! How wondrous it is that we could have holy and upright thoughts, unique to our individual souls in God, and also knowledge of God and of His Son. That is life more abundant, and we can have heaven now and later. This is why John called it eternal life and didn’t just use the word heaven, when he said. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). We get life from hell, deliverance from death, sometimes even deliverance from sicknesses and maladies, and, well – Hallelujah! Christ also gives us overcoming power through the victory of the cross! Because by God’s grace (cue the keyboard) we get to taste Holy Spirit eternal life right now! And amongst brothers and sisters in Christ is a very blessed time indeed.

Please consider that God honors the free will, and He has given the choice to every man once they’ve received the bad news (fallenness of man) and the good news (Jesus redeems it all!), that they can have born-again, have life-abundant, good-conquering-evil lives and feel God shining down smiling on their obedience because of His Son. Not only acceptance, but now the ability to participate with God. Seems like a good choice to me, and a free one!

So thankful we serve the God of the free will. (And God bless the USA!)