America Bless God

(Sorry, don't know what is up with the schedule feature. This was supposed to post the morning of July 4th. Oh well, Happy late July 4th! I'll post pictures soon.)

Happy July 4th! We praise the Lord He has allowed the two of us the special blessing of being Americans. Today we will be celebrating the 4th with family and friends out in Gilbert at the Peach Festival, and then probably over to my parents for some swimming! We'll let you know when pictures are added.

But we also want to share with y'all an excerpt from a book our pastor wrote entitled "America Upon His Shoulders" (I put in bold the portion that really stood out to us):
Two years after the American Revolution, the French revolted and attempted to found a democratic government. Nonetheless, theirs was unsuccessful because it floundered upon the poison of the Enlightenment. Alexis de Tocqueville, a French political thinker and diplomat, toured the United States and was impressed by the foundation Americans established upon the indispensability of Christianity as the undergirding of democracy. He placed his political and spiritual finger upon the heart of the matter when he wrote, “There is no country in the world where the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America.”

Subsequent to Mr. de Tocqueville’s visit to America, in 1831 he wrote to his French governors, declaring: I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests – and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning – and it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution – and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.

How would you describe your United States in the light of Mr. de Tocqueville’s splendid declaration?This land has had the favor of the Lord because this land once stood on the Rock of Ages. It once used the Bible as it's plum line. But this land is running further and further away from God. A country that once boasted in Christ, now despises the One who died for us. This country is crumbling because God is turning us over to the gods we have been chasing after. We want to encourage you not just this day, but every day, to lift up this country and our leaders (preachers, political, law enforcement, etc) in prayer. Pray that God would let His Holy Spirit rain down on this land, and that a revival would occur. Pray that once again the pulpits in America "would flame with righteousness", and that when people look at us to see why America prospers, they will see that our devotedness to God and His law is the "secret to our genius and power".

If you would like to read the book I quoted above, you have 4 options (3 of which are free).

1. You can download a PDF version of the entire book "America Upon His Shoulders" by right clicking on this link and selecting "Save As".
2. There is also an abrigded version of the book entitled "America Bless God" available. You can download a PDF version of that booklet by right clicking on this link and selecting "Save As".
3. The third and final free option is you can contact me, or my church, and request a hardcopy of the booklet "America Bless God". We will send it to you free of charge.
4. The fourth option is that for $20 you can buy a leather bound edition of "America Upon His Shoulder". Again, let me know, or contact the church.

"Direct my thoughts, words and works, wash away my sins in the immaculate Blood of the Lamb, and purge my heart by Thy Holy Spirit...daily frame me more and more into the likeness of Thy Son Jesus Christ." - George Washington