Ancient Landmarks

Why do we need them?

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea, and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union. -Lincoln (1863)

Sarah Josepha Hale influenced Lincoln

Revisionist History- It’s Turkey Day

If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree.

Ancient Landmarks: Preserve Sacred Boundaries

Proverbs 22:28 NKJV

Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.

Ancient Landmarks: Cause us to Pursue the Ancient Paths

Jeremiah 6:16 (NKJV)

Thus says the Lord:

“Stand in the ways and see,

And ask for the old paths, where the good way is,

And walk in it;

Then you will find rest for your souls.

But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Ancient Landmarks: Protect Divine Order

Deuteronomy 19:14 NKJV

“You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which the men of old have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.

Transgress- to exceed or go beyond. to deviate from path

Two fold: A Symbol of demarkation and a reminder that something important happened here.

The Big Three Symbols we need:

1. Faith

Faith of our fathers, living still, in spite of dungeon, fire, and sword; O how our hearts beat high with joy when e’er we hear that glorious word! Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee to death.

“When all is said and done, the life of faith is nothing if not an unending struggle of the spirit with every available weapon against the flesh.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

It was faith that brought Israel to the Promised Land, and a lack of faith that kept them out.

1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

REMEMBER!

Faith is the Key that unlocks Heaven’s Resources!

2. Family

Psalm 145:4 NKJV

One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.

“There is a great identity crisis among students today. Who am I? What is the purpose of life? Where did I come from? Where am I going? The Bible has a direct answer to this great big philosophical question.” -Billy Graham

Psalm 100:5 NKJV

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

REMEMBER!

Family is your past, and your future!

3. Freedom

“Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.” —John F. Kennedy

“This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” — Abraham Lincoln

Christ has made us free, be not entangled

Galatians 5:1 TPT

Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past.

REMEMBER!

Freedom isn’t free!

Altar Call! Souls, Souls, Souls!

Strength to deal with faith, family, and freedom.

Ephesians 6:10 NKJV

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.