Memorial Day 2012

2 Chronicles 7:14 – If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will HEAR THEIR LAND. (NIV)

Happy Memorial Day, my dear brothers and sisters.  Today I would just like to look back a few years and give thanks to some very important people.

To former President Abraham Lincoln and all those who fought in the Civil War for freedom of those who were enslaved.  There were also other issues but today my thanks go to those who wanted all people to be free.

I want to thank all of those who served our country in our military … There is a saying, and I do not know whom I am quoting, but I must quote it, for over the years when our men and women went into the military, “all gave some and some gave all.”  So I say thank you for all those who served this country in the past, for if not for them, and please think about this, we might be speaking another language or needing to go “underground” to speak out for our Lord God.

So thanks to all  who served our country I the past in the ARMY, the NAVY, the AIR FORCE, the MARINES, the COAST GUARD, and the MERCHANT MARINES and all of our reserve units.  This would include a lot of dear friends and relations, and two of our ministry team of five.  Thanks to those two, Grant Crocket (Army) and Dolores Lehman (Air Force).  We also have many of the supporters of our ministry who were in the military.  If I would list some, I would miss others, so I will just say thanks to all of you.  Thanks also to our son Glenn and his wife Dian who are Navy veterans and to our grandson Daniel, the son of Glenn and Dian, who is currently in the Navy.

To our veterans who have gone on before us, be it by death for this nation or just passing on from this earth … Thanks and may God bless the families left behind.  And remember we are losing them today, today in our current wars.

To our veterans who are living today, and please, please remember this, we have veterans who are just 18 years of age who are home and living in military hospitals from injuries that they have already received.  So we pray for their healing, and that God will bless all of them.  Please remember that some of those injuries and wounds are just from being in battle, things left in their minds.  So prayer warriors, please pray hard.

So today, I give thanks to God, first to His Son, my Savior and yours also if you have asked Him to be for giving us our personal freedom from sin …

And I give thanks to all of those men and women who have fought or stood ready to fight so we could also have freedom.  Freedom to speak, to stand up for whatever you want to stand up for, and for keeping our country free so I and others like me can preach, teach, sing, and otherwise talk about our Lord.

God bless all of you this day and may God bless the United States of America, even though we are unworthy of it … Thank You, Father … I love all of you … Pastor Daniel W. Lehman.