​As the United States of America begins to celebrate its Independence Day, it causes a moment to reflect on what independence has created for the people who can worship God in a freedom of religion atmosphere.  The findings, for modern times, lead to a generation of lazy Christians.  The word independence is defined as the quality or state of being independent or not subject to control by others, not requiring or relying on someone else.  It also means competence, a sufficiency of means for the necessities and conveniences of life.  When Christians are independent of God, this can create not only a laziness in participating in a Christian life, but also begin to deteriorate a true covenant with God (John 15:5; Isaiah 40:31).  Due to their ability to choose if they go to church, if they read their Bible, if they pray, and if they actually have a relationship with God, leads many to only following through the act of Christianity when they desire (2 Timothy 3:5; 1 Corinthians 2:14).  Americans may have independence from many various things, but Christians should have no independence from God (Acts 4:12; Psalm 91:1-16).  God’s people should be dependent on Him through reading their Bible, participating in church, praying, and walking daily in a right relationship with God.  When people understand they have a choice, they will, a majority of the time, take the easier, selfish path.  This is not solely out of avoiding hardship, but many times out of laziness (Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 10:4-5; Proverbs 21:25; Proverbs 19:15).  God did not send His Son, Jesus Christ, to live on the earth, lay down His own life for the sins of the world, and be resurrected on the third day for His people to be lazy in their walk with Him.  Jesus obeyed God the Father to give those who choose to become His followers the opportunity to become the soldiers of God, world overcomers, submitted servants, and joint-heirs with Him in the things of God (Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:12; Ephesians 3:6).  He did not give His life for people to be lazy, do only what they desire to do, live their lives according to their own standard, and not fulfill their biblical duties unto God.  When Christians are independent from God, they make themselves their god (Philippians 3:19; Romans 16:18; 2 Timothy 3:2-4; 2 Peter 2:19).  God is a jealous God Who desires His people to have a dependency on Him in everything of their lives (Matthew 6:24; Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29).  A Christian’s life is nothing without God.  In many of today’s messages and services, everything is focused on the person and what God will do for them instead of being focused on God and how His people should live for Him (2 Timothy 4:3-4; Jude 4; Matthew 7:15; 2 Peter 2:1; Colossians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 11:13).  When a Christian realizes their dependence on God through Jesus Christ, they will use their American independence to live a life full of faith pleasing unto God (Hebrews 11:6).  Ironically, some of the most powerful Christians in today’s time do not have independence within their nation, but their power comes from their dependence on God.  Living in the United States should allow the independence within the nation and also build stronger Christians who exercise that right to live for God in full dependence according to God’s desires.  May Christians become stronger and more dependent on God as they live their lives not for themselves but for the God they declare they love and serve.  For more information about Abundant Grace Church, visit agcsparta.org.  

​The best place to start with such a topic is by defining the word pride.  Pride is defined as confidence and satisfaction in oneself; pleasure that comes from a relationship, association, achievement, or possession; exaggerated self-esteem; a showy or pretentious group.  When a person displays pride, they are not relying on God but themselves.  God’s Word says He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).  Anytime a person places pride within themselves, something they have, or something they belong to, they are making themselves their own God and rejecting the true and living God (Ezekiel 28:2; Romans 1:25).  Placing confidence or satisfaction in oneself or having an exaggerated self-esteem reflects a denial of God in one’s life (Jeremiah 17:10; Matthew 6:24).  No matter one’s sin that is a stumbling block, all people have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8).  The Bible goes on to say that no one is righteous on their own (Romans 3:10).  Why should there be pride within a person’s life if that person has no saving power or authority to change their eternity based on their ability without God’s help?  This is the necessity for pride to be removed and for humility to be cultivated in submission to God the Father through Jesus Christ.  All people must resist pride and deny themselves to follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and Master (Luke 9:23; 1 John 2:4; Matthew 16:24; John 14:6).  Prideful and sinful people know what God’s requirements are for such actions yet they do them anyway and encourage other people to participate as well (Romans 1:32; Proverbs 1:10-16; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Psalm 1:1).  The answer to pride is humility.  As noted already, humility allows God’s grace to flow into one’s life (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5; Proverbs 3:34; Matthew 23:12; Philippians 2:3-4; Proverbs 22:4).  All people must have humility before God to have not only eternal life but the blessings of God in the life that now is.  Humility births submission, submission births obedience, and obedience, especially when coupled with faith, pleases God (Hebrews 11:6; Ephesians 2:8; 1 John 5:4; Galatians 2:20; 1 Samuel 15:22; John 14:15; Romans 6:16).  Here are other verses that display the stark difference between pride and humility.  Pride brings disgrace while humility is wisdom (Proverbs 11:2).  Pride brings destruction, but humility brings honor (Proverbs 18:12).  Pride ends in humiliation while humility brings honor (Proverbs 29:23; Luke 14:11).  Having this bigger picture of what the Word of God says, allows one to see there should be no pride in oneself, one’s group, or from an achievement or possession, but everyone should have a humility because they recognize their need for God.  God still places the call for all of mankind to come to Him in repentance for sin (Matthew 4:17; Acts 3:19; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30; Luke 13:3; 1 John 1:9).  What will the choice be, pride or humility?  Looking through the lens of scripture, the choice should be clear, but some will still choose according to their own desires.  May people humble themselves and call upon the name of Jesus and be born again (John 3:3; Romans 6:23; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; John 3:36; Romans 6:6).  For more information about Abundant Grace Church, visit agcsparta.org.  

​For many people, attending church or being a Christian seems to imply an obligation to have everything figured out in terms of being a perfect moral person.  In reality, God is looking for people who will serve Him and be faithful as they mature in a relationship with Him (Colossians 3:23-24; Romans 12:1; Matthew 6:24; 1 Samuel 12:24; Deuteronomy 15:10).  Attending church is not for those who have it all figured out, but for people who realize their need for God through a relationship with Jesus Christ (Matthew 9:12; Mark 2:17; James 5:14; Proverbs 18:1; Joshua 1:8; Hebrews 10:23-26).  A religious spirit causes people to believe they must have everything in their life together before darkening the door of a church.  That same demon also causes those who may attend a church to believe, as long as they fulfill an obligation to God by going ever so often, without a personal relationship with God, that they are pleasing Him.  The overall theme of the Bible and the purpose of attending church is for each person to give their heart to God and serve Him all the days of their life (Proverbs 3:5-6; James 4:7; 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 15:5; Matthew 6:33).  When people make church about a social gathering, the point of assembling has been missed (Ephesians 4:11-16).  The Bible states that obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22).  The sacrifice of going to church from a religious obligation or out of necessity to not go to Hell is not the heart God desires, but a heart of servitude that is submitted to Him (John 14:15; Jeremiah 7:23; Exodus 19:5; 1 Peter 1:14; Isaiah 1:19).  When people submit to God through a heart of faith and love, they are giving God what He desires most.  People who truly give God their heart will love one another, worship God above all things, be faithful in the spiritual things and the natural things as good stewards of what God has given them, and continue to grow in their relationship with Him (John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:20; Hebrews 13:15; John 4:23; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Matthew 25:21; Luke 16:10; Deuteronomy 8:18; James 4:8; 1 Corinthians 13:11).  God’s people start as those who are separated from God, but they call upon the name of Jesus in repentance of their sins allowing them to become children of God.  This same heart is what God desires to continue within the lives of His people, a heart that will call on Him in the good times and the bad.  A heart that desires to remain with Him because He will never leave nor forsake His people (Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6; Deuteronomy 31:8; Matthew 28:20).  A person’s religion will get them rebuked for not having a heart for God (Matthew 23:1-6; Matthew 23:24-33; Mark 12:38-40; Matthew 6:1-8; Luke 20:45-47).  When a person’s relationship with God is solely based on their outward appearance, they do not have a relationship with God but a religious mindset.  God desires for people to have a heart for Him, like He has a heart for His people.  May more people begin to overcome the religious mindset and love God with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27).  When a person loves God with all of their heart, they will go to church to be in their Father’s house.  They will study the Bible to know God more.  They will pray to talk to their heavenly Father.  This is what God desires.  For more information about Abundant Grace Church, visit agcsparta.org.