For Freedom’s Sake

President Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom last week—on October 14, which would have been the freedom fighter’s 32nd birthday. Erika Kirk accepted the award on her late husband’s behalf. In her closing remarks, she said, “To live free is the greatest gift, but to die free is the greatest victory. Happy birthday, my Charlie. Happy freedom day.”

Charlie knew the only way to preserve the blessings of freedom is through the gospel of Jesus Christ, transforming hearts and minds. This must be the message of the church. The power of the gospel must be clearly revealed through the Spirit-filled lives of those who “love God with all their heart and their neighbors as themselves.”

We must come to realize that the church, the body of Christ, is the family through which God has chosen to bless America and every nation. Believers must depend on the wisdom and principles of God, not the religious traditions of man or political platforms. All believers in the church must hold up the truth and standards of God. We should be active in every aspect of society, declaring and living out His Word. We should never move one word, standard or principle found in God’s Word to accommodate anybody’s opinion, practices or desires. Jesus commanded us to look straight ahead with our hand to the plow and never look to the right or left because even the slightest deviation will, over time, take us far from His perfect standard.

There are no perfect leaders and no perfect members of the body of Christ. There is one perfect Lord and Savior who we must faithfully point people to. He will forever be “the Way, the Truth and the Life.” When people change His Word into a lie or depend on any source other than our Father God, we will find ourselves in bondage personally and nationally. Living outside the shelter and shadow of the Almighty, we lose freedom.

America has been one of the most prosperous, benevolent nations in history. We have enjoyed the blessings of freedom and experienced great joy sharing them. Remember, only God can make a nation great and only He can keep it great.

Those who advocate an anti-biblical worldview are encouraging every person to do what’s right in their own sight, rejecting God’s reliable standards. My wife, Betty, and I cannot sit back enjoying the blessings of a life lived for God without considering the future for your family, your children, and your grandchildren. Right now, many in our world are wandering around in a spiritual darkness, but God wants us to reveal the light of Christ and the transforming effect of the gospel not only declared but demonstrated by all who are committed to His Kingdom purpose.

It is important for every Christian to understand that the King is not only coming, but He has come and He announced clearly that His “kingdom is at hand.” He taught that His kingdom is established now in the life of every believer. It is imperative that God’s family, members of His body, begin now to pray and make the necessary kingdom impact as the faithful witnesses He has left us here to be.

Betty and I, along with many concerned Christians, are praying for God to give the church and nation clear direction. I believe what Paul shared in Acts 20:20-21 should become the practice and message of every God-called preacher, pastor and minister in America. He wrote, “I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This is what I am totally committed to doing: publicly declaring through every means of communication the principles of our Lord to every person and group with ears to hear. I pray you will stand with me as we watch the family of God become more adorned in the glory and grace of our Lord. As we yield our lives to the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, His Spirit will flow out of us like a river of unconditional, redemptive love.

Let’s take the gospel in word and deed to the ends of the earth. Together, we can witness the greatest spiritual awakening and harvest of souls in history. When this happens, we’ll see the restoration of freedom in individual lives, communities, our nation and beyond.

Remember, as Paul proclaimed in Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ set us free.” Our Father desires freedom for all people—and that is indeed something to celebrate.