journey onWord with us

Last night peanuts and popcorn ruined the joy of a baseball game. I chipped a tooth. Then to top it off, I had shooting pain in my foot every few seconds which ruined a good night’s sleep. It is too hot outside. I am too busy … and somebody wants to tell me about “Joy on the journey”?!?!

“Joy on the journey” are words that will likely resonate with all who read this post. However, you probably have your own “first paragraph” reasons which question all the joyful journey talk. The Father’s design for all those who have accepted His gift of salvation and eternal life in Christ, is to live with joy. But somehow our journey seems to get in the way. We all have unique stories about the struggles faced along our particular path. It may be a job, health issues, church problems, marital strife, or rebellious children (just to name of few). Those twists and turns tend to crowd out or steal our joy. Although we may not see many great examples of joy, it is absolutely available or the Father would not have said, “Be joyful always” (I Thessalonians).

As I allow these thoughts to percolate, it is easy for me to become discouraged.  I certainly have not mastered the art of joy on the journey. The real issue before me (and you), though, is not perfection, but progress. Too much of my journey has centered on me trying to serve God with misplaced values. Praying to get things, studying the Word without getting to know Him better, and serving Him in my own strength does not produce the depth of joy I believe the Father desires for me. Your journey may be similar, and the good news is that God is the designer of joy, so let’s seek His blueprint.

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.
Psalm 62:1

Whom have I in heaven but you? And the earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, by God is the strength of my life.
Psalm 73:25-26

The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.
Psalm 119:72

Is it possible to find rest in God alone? …Yes!  Is it possible to cherish His Word more than silver and gold? … Yes!  Is it possible to live with a deep conviction of His strength in all situations? … Yes!  The result is true JOY.

In my journey, I am learning to seek Him before I seek what He can provide.  I want to study to know Him, and not just fulfill my religious “duty.”  I have also learned that trying hard, although noble, can become an energy drain which creates little to no true joy. Finding rest in God alone is the surest way to become joyful.  Decide with me that you will discipline yourself to seek Him.  Then begin to dedicate your life to knowing Him through the pages of His book, and watch how He begins to create joy on your journey.

Be simple enough to believe that if you consistently seek the Father, He will teach you how to navigate a joyful journey. “You have made us for yourself, Oh Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” – Augustine.  A new day awaits you, as you enjoy His joyful rest … Seek Him today.

If you are a collector, know someone who is a collector, or know of the world of collecting, you will be familiar with the term “authenticity”.  Collectors insist on it, since an item’s intrinsic and monetary value rests heavily on it.  The collecting world is full of priceless originals, but also of clever, detailed, nearly indistinguishable fakes.  It can be so easy with some items to be fooled as a casual observer or collector.  Which is why a true collector wants documentation, and searches for stamps or special markings, all in the effort to confirm an item’s authenticity.  Proof is the only way the collector can truly know whether they have the genuine item.  Words in the form of anecdotal evidence or stories will not suffice in determining authenticity.  They require another source to corroborate the story.  Words, in and of themselves, rarely speak definitively.

The same can certainly be said of us.  We can profess to be the genuine item, but if there is no other corroborating evidence, our words are meaningless.

The Bible is not vague in its definition of authenticity … and it is the definitive source of truth.

But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:
I John 2:5

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34

By their fruit you will recognize them.
Matthew 7:16a

All three references leave no doubt as to the stamp and special markings which prove whether we are authentic.  And as an extra point of emphasis, I would also encourage you to read the verses that surround Matthew 7:16.  In them, Christ provides a strong warning about clever, detailed, nearly indistinguishable fakes.

All analogies fall apart at some point, and I have stopped short of describing God as a collector of souls.  But if I had, would you pass the authenticity test?  Would you hold up under closer examination?   Are your Love God, Love Others “special markings” obvious to both the casual observer and trained eye?  Is His love so evident in who you are in the secret, anonymous places and opportunities, that you can easily be distinguished as the genuine item?  Can the story your life tells be corroborated in the lives of others?

I find great personal challenge and conviction in those questions, and in my intentional pursuit of authenticity.  Let those questions simmer for a bit.  Stir them around and let them settle again.  Don’t be too quick to give an answer.  Our value to God is incalculable — its full extent is known only to Him, and it is not determined by what we do.  Our value to His kingdom rests heavily on our authenticity.

If prayer was a place, I wonder if most people would note their own address as the land of wishful thinking. Stop for a minute and consider this for yourself. Are you that person?  Are you their neighbor? Everyone knows that we should pray, the Bible admonishes us to pray, and even a non-believer will sometimes call out to God in moments of distress. But how many people pray with a strong view of God’s power and real confidence that He will answer? Or is it more typical that prayers are words spoken in a heavenly direction out of obligation and wishful thinking (although we certainly wouldn’t admit it), without much confidence in the outcome?

If you are feeling a bit weak in your personal prayer life, confidence can return today. On a plane at about thirty thousand feet recently, I was reminded that our God is not limited. In reading the verse of a song I have known since childhood, I was challenged about impossibilities and our Lord.

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable;
Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through?
God specializes in things tho’t impossible;
He does things others cannot do.

(Excerpt from Got Any Rivers, Oscar C. Eliason, copyright 1945)

You, no doubt, have some uncrossable rivers before you right now … so do I. There may even be some mountains of difficulty staring you right in the face. When we are not firm and steadfast in our view of God’s power, impossibilities look …well, impossible. The old song says that God specializes in things that are “tho’t impossible.” Can we believe it, or are those words just wishful thinking too? Experience has taught me that those who pray earnestly with confident faith, see God do “things others cannot do.” Are you ready to experience Him that way in your life?

The prophet Jeremiah affirmed our assertion…

Ah Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
Jeremiah 32:17

Are those words of wishful thinking, or blocks of granite to build our prayer life upon? Scripture is clear.  God can be trusted.  But will we believe it and see it reflected in our own life of prayer?  Later in chapter 32, the word of the Lord comes to Jeremiah.

I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? (v. 27)

Jeremiah prayed it, God affirmed it, and let’s just be simple enough to believe it. Nothing is too hard for God!

Is your prayer life firmly rooted in the truth that nothing is too hard for Him? If you are anything like me, there are times I get it. Those times are special and quite profound. They are times of river crossings and mountain passes. There is no wishful thinking in the truth of God’s Word, and there should be no wishful thinking in our prayer lives. Nothing is too Hard for Him. Believe it and pray like it!

Jesus has always been a controversial figure – He still is in some circles.  From the very beginning of His earthly ministry, Jesus stirred up strong feelings from many different groups.  In the first public speaking He did in the synagogue, the crowd conspired to take him out and kill him!  But He continued to gain great popularity with the people of Galilee.  Huge crowds followed Him, so huge that one day He took refuge from the crowds and spoke from a fishing boat just off shore.  That boat belonged to a man named Simon … Simon PETER.  And so began Jesus’ journey with The Twelve … 12 everyday men.  Jesus could have used the angels, the military, a mob force, anything He wanted to spread His message.  But His focus was specific, and He used 12 men under the power of the Holy Spirit as committed conduits carrying the Gospel throughout the world.

The Twelve could not have known this at first, but they were called to four responsibilities …

First  – –  SALVATION

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”  When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
John 1:35-37

Second  – –  MINISTRY

Jesus had taken several of the men to fish – in the wrong location, according to Peter. But the amount of fish in that catch almost sunk the boat!  It was then that Jesus gave the men a new commission:

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Luke 5:10-11

Third  – –  APOSTLESHIP

Jesus went up on a mountainside. He called for certain people to come to him, and they came. He appointed 12 of them and called them apostles. From that time on they would be with him. He would also send them out to preach.
Mark 3:13-14

After this, The Twelve embarked on several evangelistic trips, after which they remained with Jesus for the rest of His time on Earth.

Last  – –  MARTYRDOM 

This took place after Christ’s resurrection, of course.  Aside from Judas’ suicide, all but one was murdered.

These 12 common men fulfilled their purpose and changed the world.  Against all odds, they took the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every corner of the known world.

So I got to thinking about OUR purpose.  What have WE been called to?  Certainly we have been called to SALVATION … have you accepted Christ’s free gift?

We have also been called to MINISTRY.  Sure, we may not travel the world preaching, but we can change our “world” – the people and places where God has planted us to be actively involved in the work of His kingdom.   I have been struggling lately at work.  But I have also found a lasting peace and confidence in the midst of my difficulties.  I truly believe I am exactly where the Lord wants me in this season and for this time.  And in that confidence, I continue to strive to have the ministry God has uniquely authored for me.

Twelve ordinary men with ordinary jobs going to work each day to support their ordinary families.  Wait a minute … that sounds very familiar!  Similar lives, but different …

Are you willing to answer the call?

Have you ever wanted to give up on a day before it even started? Our daughter certainly had every reason to feel this way a week ago as she started her vacation. She stayed up all night to catch a shuttle from New York City to Newark, NJ where she was to catch a plane. The 3:30am shuttle never came (had a breakdown) and she had to catch a cab. Eighty dollars later she was at the airport, still excited to start her vacation. Her flight was on time … until it hit the runway! After a long wait and a return to the terminal due to weather, her plane was finally airborne. Upon arriving in Chicago, she discovered her connecting flight had (of course) left. Twenty-one hours after her planned shuttle pick up and anticipated on-time departure she arrived at her destination. It is almost certain you have also experienced days of delay, disruption and discouragement.

When those “D” days come, how do you respond?  I would like to think that I always tap into my spiritual reserves and quote scripture, act joyfully, and use the disruption as an avenue of opportunity to show God’s love and grace. But I don’t!  Can you relate?

As I was thinking over my reading in the book of James recently, it was evident I knew the principles … I just don’t always practice them. You may feel the same way! When we are not looking to the Father, delays and disruptions will be anything but an avenue to show His grace. Look at a few of the principles that the book of James gives us.

Consider it pure joy when you encounter trials- I know that!
If you lack wisdom, ask God for it- I know that!
Be a good listener- I know that!
Be a doer of the Word, not just a hearer- I know that!
Faith without action is not faith- I know that!
The tongue is hard to handle- I know that!
Resist the devil and he will flee- I know that!
Get close to God and He’ll get close to you- I know that!
Life is fleeting- I know that!
Prayers of the righteous are powerful- I know that!

Like me, you probably know those principles. But I desire to always be moving from knowing to practicing the principles. God builds depth into our lives as we take the delays and discouragements and use them for His glory. When our daily value system is to view life from God’s perspective (you can do it), then what we know begins to be what we do. Along the journey there will always be moments of knowing the Word, followed immediately by a failure to practice it. God is so gracious to forgive and restore us when we confess those moments.  And after doing so, desires that we strive onWord!

So what do long delays and missed connections have to do with the “knowing and doing” of the Word? Everything! They provide an illustration of the opportunities we have each and every day to reflect Christ from within our circumstances. We don’t need God to remove them, or to remove us from them.  We can call on His power to reflect the image of Christ from within them.  There are people all around you who will see your faith in action.  Don’t be a hearer only …

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
James 1:22 (NIV)

Do you ever feel like quitting?  Have you ever had thoughts of confronting your boss and letting him have a piece of your mind, right before you hand in your resignation letter? But, then, in a moment of mental clarity you decide quitting isn’t the best choice. We also teach our children that quitting isn’t right, no matter how bad the coach or teacher has treated them. No matter what your stage in life, you have wanted to quit, taught your children life lessons about not quitting, and viewed from a distance as others made disastrous decisions to give up on a marriage or to leave their job. Quitting is a powerful emotion that we all have to battle. Quitting also has a strong emotional pull in one of the most critical of spiritual disciplines … prayer.

You may already be familiar with the parable of the persistent widow in Luke chapter eighteen. Christ, in his wisdom, used this parable to show the disciples the need to pray and not give up. The disciples needed to hear good counsel: keep praying and don’t give up. In our heart of hearts, we all know if we have slowed down or even stopped praying. And when I say “praying,” I mean genuine conversation and true asking, seeking and knocking for God’s heart on issues of concern to us (not just mouthing words that aren’t first formed in our own heart). Looking back at my prayer journals would likely show some issues that were once important, that I regretfully gave up on. You may have become discouraged at His delays, angry over the outcome of your pleadings, or disillusioned that you prayed so hard and nothing seemed to happen. He understands our struggle, but gives us great counsel: keep praying and don’t give up.

Christ’s parable about the persistent widow provides incredible insight about never, ever giving up. The unjust judge she confronted was finally bothered to the point of giving in to her. We should not mistake the judge for our Lord, but the parable teaches us that being persistent in prayer is vital. Too often Christians become easily dismayed and don’t follow the great counsel: keep praying and never give up. In studying the first two verses that follow this parable, I was challenged and convicted.

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
Luke 18:6-7

Intellectually, there is no doubt in my mind you believe God will honor persistent praying. But we all struggle with the discipline to keep going when He seems to put our requests in delay mode, our loved one is not healed, our finances don’t quickly turn around, or our child continues to reject Christ no matter how long we’ve prayed. We all have reasons not to pray, but His counsel is: keep praying and never give up. I can’t tell you why God delays, but I can tell you that He loves you, He does heal, and He will honor those who cry out to Him day and night. Is there anything that you need to cry out to the Father night and day about? Do it, and don’t give up.  I love the New Living Translation’s phrasing of the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:7…

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

Sir Winston Churchill in 1941 used the following words: “Never give in–never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty. . .” You and I can take his words to a new level: never, never, never, never ever stop praying. Great counsel indeed!

“…the Spirit of him who raised Jesus
from the dead is living in you”
Romans 8:11 (NIV)

“…will also do the works that I do;
and greater works than these will he do”
John 14:12 (ESV)

Do I really believe those words?  And if I quickly answer “Yes,” how do I define the word believe?  Paul states that I have the same Spirit and power that raised Jesus living inside of me.  Jesus emphatically states that if I believe in Him, I will do what He did, and even greater things.  I don’t know about you, but my life rarely seems to live up to the potential and promise contained in those truths.

I was reminded of this recently when I heard, again, the story of a man who had visited a flea market and bought an old painting for $4.  He bought the painting not for the artwork, but for the beautiful antique frame.  When he got it home, he began the careful work of removing the painting.  But alas, not far into his work, the frame broke.  It was just too old and fragile to hold up.  I am sure you can imagine the man’s grave disappointment … but the story doesn’t end there.  As he was doing the careful work of removing the canvas from the frame, the man discovered something quite unexpected.  Hidden between the canvas and backing was an original copy of the Declaration of Independence!  At the time of its author, there were 500 copies made of the Declaration.  To that date, only 24 copies were known to exist.  This man had just found number 25!  He later decided to sell the prized copy at auction and the opening bid was $800,000.  The winning bid was $2.5 million!

The most memorable parts of this story seem to be the grave disappointment of the broken frame, the joyous discovery of a treasured piece of American history, and the amazing profit margin from an ordinary afternoon at a flea market.  But just as the man did with the painting, let’s peel back the top layer and reveal the immeasurable hidden treasure.  The “picture” I see is of the family or families who had that painting hanging in their home.  Passing by it, sitting near it and staring at it, never knowing the amazing treasure it held … underneath the surface, hidden from view.

I believe that painting is symbolic of my life and the powerful truth that the Spirit of God lives inside of me.  How many times do I read the words of the Scripture above and say “Yes” with my head and not my heart?  How long will I “hang on the wall,” showing only an average painting to the world around me?  Jesus longs to be that man who breaks my frame, removes the outer canvas and reveals the treasure that lies within.  He longs to be the One who frees me to be who He made me to be, and to go do those greater works that He has planned for me.

You’ve probably noticed I spent the entire last paragraph referring to, and challenging myself.  How about you?  Many of you are believers and will identify with the words of my heart.  Some of you, however, may not.  If that’s you, I would love to talk to you about Jesus and a life and truth that’s immeasurably more valuable than even the most treasured national artifact.  Email us.  Don’t settle for a beautiful frame.  Seek the treasure!

What do you fear?  If it’s possible, hibernate your computer for a couple of minutes, find some quiet, and meditate on that question.  In the stillness, ask yourself, “What do I fear?”

<insert soothing, chamber-style hold music here>

Alright, so what were your answers?  In my own time of meditation, I came up with wildly different things.  Things as weighty and serious as, “something tragic happening to my family”.  Things as serious, yet temporal as, “losing my job or my house.”  And things as ridiculously trivial as, “being embarrassed.”

I am especially curious (assuming your complete candor and honesty), if anyone had “God” on their list.  Because if you are anything like me (and probably the church at large in the modern age) you lack a real and true sense of fear when it comes to God.   We read Old Testament stories and prophets (like Amos), and we can be quick to judge after natural disasters or acts of terrorism, but have we lost a personal sense of the fear of God?

I don’t pretend to fully understand what this fear should look like.  But I am pretty sure it is not just an extreme reverence or awe.  There are sufficient accounts in the Bible of those who have either personally encountered God or one of His angels and exhibited something entirely different from reverence or awe — Saul being struck blind, Moses’ glowing face, John falling “at his feet as though dead” (Rev 1:17).  In Exodus 33:20, God says to Moses, “… you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”  None of these sound very awe-ish to me.

Fearing God is also not the “afraid” variety either.  The physical effects illustrated above might lead one to a physical sort of fear.  But I don’t believe, even for a minute, that God desires for us to be scared of Him.  He desires a relationship with us, so there has to be something more unifying about this fear.  As I began to search this out, I came across a specific passage and character that I believe begin to put this fear into the proper context.  First, Proverbs 9:10 …

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

And then, as someone who consistently showed a healthy fear of God, I submit for consideration the great leader Joshua.  In reading the book which bears his name and seeing what God did through him, I see a vivid picture of someone who properly and consistently feared God.  Read for yourself, and take note of his interactions and responses to God in leading the nation of Israel.  This is a man who I could learn much from in the pursuit of a real and genuine fear for God in my own life.

I have taken the first few steps in my fear journey, and I encourage you to begin your own.  However long it takes, persist and persevere.  This journey is paramount to truly knowing God, and is just the beginning of true wisdom (as Proverbs notes).  With God’s Word as our first and last reference, inspiration, challenge and encouragement, we can live as a good and faithful servant possessing a true and genuine fear of God.  My prayer is that God can say of me, as He did of Joshua, that I am “a man in whom is the spirit” (Num 27:18).

The world in which we live (and our tiny patch of it) often resembles a snowball of burden bounding down the steep side of the proverbial hill.  Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?

• You’re out of work and in need of the most basic provisions, or overworked and in need of the grandest scale of relief.
• You’re a single parent in need of three more pairs of hands and a few moments to yourself to breathe, or a two-income family caught on a treadmill that has no buttons to stop or slow the pace.
• You possess the supposed “gift” of youth, yet feel like you’re drowning in a sea of profound loneliness and the expectations of everyone around you, or a mature soul who can’t figure out how your nest can be empty, while at the same time your life is more harried and complicated than when it was full.

It seems that we’ve cornered the market on bustle and burden, but I can assure you there is nothing new under the sun.  In the early chapters of the gospel of Mark, we find a Savior who is more than familiar with our hurry and hardship.  Mark is the action/adventure gospel.  From its very first verse to its punctuation with the Great Commission, you feel as though you’ve been shot out of a canon.  As the action begins and then builds, you find Jesus surrounded on every side.  Crowds grow and follow him; He is touched and tugged on.  People can’t find their way to Him, so they climb on top of houses and drop people through the roof to be healed.  How does Jesus respond?

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 
Mark 1:35 (NIV)

Actually, the question I just posed is an incorrect one.  Solitude and prayer are not a response, but rather practices which were in Christ’s nature.  As a man, Jesus desired and lived for communion with the Father, and modeled it in a way we would be wise to adopt in our own lives.  Prayer is the breath of life, and solitude heals, nurtures and protects.

And lest you think these practices of prayer and solitude insulated Jesus from the interruptions that seem to plague our lives, read what happens next…

Simon and his companions went to look for Him, and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You!”
Mark 1:36-37 (NIV)

Yep, there’s Someone who’s acquainted with our “grief.”

Our world will never stop spinning, and there will rarely be times when someone isn’t looking for us, or will need something from us.  There is work to be done, and even God’s plan for our lives makes demands that will never be satisfied by our own striving.  Don’t chase earthly sources for strategies and aid in managing your time, resources, demands and burdens.  Run to the One who already knows and knows best.  Sit with Him in an out-of-the-way place, unencumbered by the “noise” that too often distracts or drowns out.

Maybe your individual rhythm isn’t “very early in the morning,” and maybe your solitary place will be the size and shape of a closet for now.  But I can assure you these practices of stealing away to truly commune with God in prayer are not ones which were only intended for Jesus.  And they did not require His omnipotent power to pull off.

This change will not be a small one, and Satan won’t be happy that you’re even considering it.  But your world will never stop spinning, and there will never be a perfect time to wait for in beginning.  Steal away and pray today.  Try it again tomorrow.  Ask Jesus to work out the details of this desire in your daily circumstances.  Trust the promise of John 14:14.  Then get ready for what God can do with your patterned discipline of communing with Him in a solitary place.

Today we celebrate our independence. It is a wonderful day to picnic, watch fireworks and generally just have a great time with family and friends. What can be lost within the enjoyment of the day is what it took to gain our freedom. Certainly there is no other country like the USA, and we all need to stop today and give thanks to the Father for blessing us with the gift of our freedom. To keep our minds on the honor of this day, I have chosen to give you some facts about the Declaration of Independence. Excerpts are taken from Elizabeth Harrison’s work in 2012. Check your knowledge as we celebrate the 240th anniversary of our freedom!

1. The Declaration of Independence wasn’t signed on July 4, 1776.
   On July 1, 1776, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, and on the following day 12 of the 13 colonies voted in favor of Richard Henry Lee’s motion for independence. The delegates then spent the next two days debating and revising the language of a statement drafted by Thomas Jefferson. On July 4, Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence, and as a result the date is celebrated as Independence Day. Nearly a month would go by, however, before the actual signing of the document took place. First, New York’s delegates didn’t officially give their support until July 9 because their home assembly hadn’t yet authorized them to vote in favor of independence. Next, it took two weeks for the Declaration to be “engrossed”—written on parchment in a clear hand. Most of the delegates signed on August 2.
2. More than one copy exists.
   After the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the “Committee of Five”—Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston—was charged with overseeing the reproduction of the approved text. This was completed in the shop of Philadelphia printer, John Dunlap. On July 5, Dunlap’s copies were dispatched across the 13 colonies to newspapers, local officials and the commanders of the Continental troops. These rare documents, known as “Dunlap broadsides,” predate the engrossed version signed by the delegates. Of the hundreds thought to have been printed on the night of July 4, only 26 copies survive. Most are held in museum and library collections, but three are privately owned.
3. When news of the Declaration of Independence reached New York City, it started a riot.
   By July 9, 1776, a copy of the Declaration of Independence had reached New York City. With hundreds of British naval ships occupying New York Harbor, revolutionary spirit and military tensions were running high. George Washington, commander of the Continental forces in New York, read the document aloud in front of City Hall. A raucous crowd cheered the inspiring words, and later that day tore down a nearby statue of George III. The statue was subsequently melted down and shaped into more than 42,000 musket balls for the fledgling American army.
4. Eight of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were born in Britain.
   While the majority of the members of the Second Continental Congress were native-born Americans, eight of the men voting for independence from Britain were born there.
5. There was a 44-year age difference between the youngest and oldest signers.
   The oldest signer was Benjamin Franklin, 70 years old when he scrawled his name on the parchment. The youngest was Edward Rutledge, a lawyer from South Carolina who was only 26 at the time.
6. Two additional copies have been found in the last 25 years.
   In 1989, a Philadelphia man found an original Dunlap Broadside hidden in the back of a picture frame he bought at a flea market for $4. One of the few surviving copies from the official first printing of the Declaration, it was in excellent condition and sold for $8.1 million in 2000. A 26th known Dunlap broadside emerged at the British National Archives in 2009, hidden for centuries in a box of papers captured from American colonists during the Revolutionary War. One of three Dunlap broadsides at the National Archives, the copy remains there to this day.
7. The Declaration of Independence spent World War II in Fort Knox.
   On December 23, 1941, just over two weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the signed Declaration, together with the Constitution, was removed from public display and prepared for evacuation out of Washington, D.C. Under the supervision of armed guards, the founding document was packed in a specially designed container, latched with padlocks, sealed with lead and placed in a larger box. All told, 150 pounds of protective gear surrounded the parchment. On December 26 and 27, accompanied by Secret Service agents, it traveled by train to Louisville, Kentucky, where a cavalry troop of the 13th Armored Division escorted it to Fort Knox. The Declaration was returned to Washington, D.C., in 1944.
8. There is something written on the back of the Declaration of Independence.
   In the movie “National Treasure,” Nicholas Cage’s character claims that the back of the Declaration contains a treasure map with encrypted instructions from the founding fathers, written in invisible ink. Unfortunately, this is not the case. There is, however, a simpler message, written upside-down across the bottom of the signed document: “Original Declaration of Independence dated 4th July 1776.” No one knows who exactly wrote this or when, but during the Revolutionary War years the parchment was frequently rolled up for transport. It’s thought that the text was added as a label.

If you are like me, too much of our heritage has been hidden, not as in National Treasure, but as a treasure not thoroughly examined. I hope the excerpts about our Declaration of Independence will remind you of our incredible gift of freedom. And if you know Christ as Savior, you can also celebrate the greatest freedom. Enjoy the Day!