Walter Albritton June 25, 2017 Recently our choir director Diane Scott introduced me to some powerful new music titled “America Come Home.” The song says God Almighty is calling America to repent of our sins and come home to God. And the song makes a strong plea for Christians to stand up and speak out against the evils that are destroying our nation. Sunday at Saint James United Methodist Church our chancel choir will sing this stirring music and join me in urging our people to resolve to live holy lives and not lose hope that Almighty God can revive and save our nation. The choir will sing also the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “If My People Will Pray,” and “Let there be Peace on Earth.” We are praying that this “God and Country” service will inspire our people to stand more boldly for Christ in the decadent culture of our day. American citizens enjoy a freedom that is unprecedented in the history of nations. It is right that our hearts should swell with pride when we sing together, “Sweet Land of Liberty.” Our country is indeed a land of sweet liberty where, within the boundaries of our laws, all of us enjoy many precious freedoms. Despite the decay and corruption that are weakening the moral fiber of our land, we are blessed with a godly heritage. Though secularists continue their efforts to rewrite the history of our nation, trying to eradicate all references to God, we still have a godly heritage. The spiritual roots of America are very deep. Our Founding Fathers sought to build a nation that recognized its dependence upon almighty God. Our ancestors built upon these foundational stones: 1) Faith in God; 2) The dignity and sacred worth of man; 3) Respect for the rights and property of others; and 4) The need to worship God. Quietly reflect on some of the treasures for which we Americans can thank God: 1. Our motto is still “In God We Trust.” It is printed on our money and engraved on the walls of Congress. As we handle money daily we are reminded that we do not trust in the power of the state, but in the power of God. 2. Religious holidays are legally established in our nation. Two of these, Good Friday and Christmas, are Christian holidays – or holy days. Thanksgiving is a holiday that completely rejects the claim that ours is a secular state. We owe this day of national Thanksgiving to President Abraham Lincoln. Every president since him has called our nation to a reverent recognition of the blessings of almighty God. Thanksgiving belongs to everyone. By being on a Thursday, it is wonderfully trans-denominational. 3. Our Pledge of Allegiance still contains the phrase, “one nation under God.” The salute to the flag rejects secularism. The words, “under God,” were used by President Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address in November 1863. Where did Lincoln get it? No doubt he got it from his Bible; it appears in the address to King James in the version of the Bible Lincoln read as a boy. So, when we salute the flag, we are declaring the sovereignty of God. 4. Our Congress still opens its sessions with prayers asking for the divine guidance of almighty God. This is a tradition that distinguishes our country from countries that have completely secular governments. 5. The Holy Bible is still used in the inaugurations of our Presidents. This important tradition has not been changed by those who would “remove God” from the realm of government. 6. We still appoint Chaplains to serve in the Armed Forces and in Congress. Thus do we as a nation acknowledge the need of all people for spiritual guidance. 7. Our nation continues to provide freedom from taxation to church bodies, including seminaries. This relieves religious societies of an enormous tax burden, giving churches greater freedom to propagate scriptural truth. We will begin worship Sunday by singing “God Bless America.” This popular song unites us as Americans. Whenever we sing it, we should remember to thank God that he has indeed blessed our nation. Let us give him thanks for all he has done and resolve to stand boldly for Christ and by so doing help to preserve the precious freedoms we enjoy as American citizens. Come worship with us Sunday and find your heart pounding as we conclude worship with Linwood McClain singing “God Bless the USA”! + + +