Coffeeville First Baptist Church by Craig Baker 1/23/25

By Marie | January 21, 2025 |

This week I had planned to return to our “Glad You Asked” study. However, as everyone is aware this past Monday we observed Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a time we set aside as a nation each year to remember those men and women throughout our nation’s history who gave their lives to ensure our freedoms and stand against evil around the world. Every conflict our nation has ever been involved in has had its share of casualties. I cannot imagine where we would be today as a nation if there had not been those who counted the high cost of freedom and willingly paid the price. When speaking of the tragedies of war, Korean War veteran Howard William Osterkamp stated, “All gave some, some gave all.” Memorial Day is about remembering those who gave all. Who were these men and women who their all defending our nation and standing against the tyranny and evil of the world? Many were young men and women whose lives were just beginning. They were family, friends and neighbors joined together in their patriotism. They came from all walks of life and regions of our country. Rich and poor, educated and illiterate, city folks and country folks, all races, ethnicities, and creed; many could not have been more different. Nevertheless, they all had one thing in common. They were willing to take up arms and if duty called them to, lay down their lives as our nation’s defenders. We need days like Memorial Day because we are forgetful people, but we are no different today than people have always been. In the Old Testament in the days of Moses, after God had freed His people, the Israelites, from Egypt and was providing for them and leading them through the wilderness towards the Promised Land, He cautioned them to not forget Him. The Jews had been slaves in Egypt, and now they would be living in fine houses, watching their flocks and herds increase, gathering gold and silver, and forgetting what the Lord had done for them. They had been nomads in the wilderness, and now they would be settled down in a rich land, enjoying peace and prosperity with their children and grandchildren. How easy it would be for Israel to become proud, to forget how helpless they were before the Lord rescued them and to think that their success was due to their own strength and wisdom, and that they deserved it. In Deuteronomy 8 the Lord cautioned His people that after they had entered the promised land and were enjoying the prosperity that He would bring them, “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God…” Unfortunately, they did forget the Lord and made golden idols to worship and honor rather than worship and honoring God. In fact, we are told that entire generations of God’s people forgot Him. Speaking of God’s people, Judges 2:10-13 tells us, “…another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.” As we look back over the history of our nation, the same could be said for us, especially of recent generations. The biggest problem facing our nation and the church today is that we have forgotten. We have forgotten that God is God. We have forgotten that God is sovereign, almighty, and in control. We have forgotten that Jesus is Lord, and He alone is the way, the truth, and the life. We have forgotten that God’s Word is authoritative, and it is through His Word that God changes us, sanctifies us, matures us, and transforms us. We have eaten, had our fill, and forgotten our God. On a foundation of Biblical principles, we became the greatest nation the world has ever known, but we have fallen a long way from where we once were. We have gotten so far off track that it is not uncommon to see our courts repeatedly restricting manger scenes; removing Bible verses, crosses, and displays of the ten commandments from building; restricting prayer; and prohibiting the public teaching of biblical principles and commands. Then we wonder why our nation has no conscience, why we do not know right from wrong, and why we celebrate rebellion and sin against God. We still live in a great nation, but if we look closely we will see that the foundation of our nation is crumbling out from under us. This nation has been blessed by God in many ways, but just like the Israelites, we have forgotten our God. We need to be reminded of the solemn warning that God gave in Deuteronomy 8:18-20. “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.” Let us not forget our God.

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