God’s great grace, His magnificent mercy, and His powerful peace are yours, now and always, from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy spirit. Amen.

The sermon this morning is based upon the Old Testament Reading for this celebration of the 229th birthday of the United States of America: Psalm 33, SPECIFICALLY VERSE12 which reads again: “What joy for the nation whose God is the LORD, whose people He has chosen for His own.”

In Christ Jesus:

YOU KNOW….

It may sound “hokey” to some.

It may sound too sweet and sugary and overly sentimental to others,

BUT I HAD THE GOOSE-BUMPS SEVERAL MINUTES AGO WHEN WE ALL SANG “GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

And what’s more. I get a lump in my throat and, sometimes, a tear in my eye I hear or sing “America the Beautiful.”

And I just love “My Country Tis’ of Thee” and “God of our Fathers” and all the rest of the patriotic hymns we sing on this birthday celebration of our great nation.

AND I MAKE NO APOLOGIES FOR IT!

And you know why????

BECAUSE

I AM HAPPY BE AN AMERICAN!

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! And most of all.....

I AM THANKFUL TO BE AN AMERICAN!

And in spite of our country’s faults and failures and shortcomings---and America has many faults and failures and shortcomings, for which we need to ask God’s forgiveness---I still believe that this is the best nation on the face of the earth, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN THE MOST BLESSED NATION ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, BY THE GRACE OF ALMIGHTY GOD!

We, as a nation, and we, as a people, are blessed—more than any other nation which has ever existed---not because of any special or inherent goodness on the part of the citizens of this nation, but because of the special and inherent goodness of Almighty God toward America!

Our nation has been blessed with more abundant natural resources than any other nation on the face of the earth. We are blessed

with the richest farmlands and vast forests,

with plentiful lakes and mighty flowing rivers,

with majestic mountains and productive valleys…

with fruited plains and rich mines.

And we need to thank God for the blessings of those natural resources and all the other blessings, which our nation enjoys. We must not take those blessing for granted or think that we deserve them more than other nations and people.

We have them only because God has blessed our land with them!

And furthermore, I believe that most of you feel the way I do about singing “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful” and all the other patriotic songs because..

we see the need ....and

we feel the need.....and therefore,

we must express the need of Almighty God’s continued blessings upon our country.

For in a world that, at this very moment, is being torn to pieces

by war and terrorism,

by hatred and violence and

by crime and corruption,

WHERE IT SEEMS THAT EVERYTHING GOOD IS GOING DOWN AND

EVERYTHING BAD IS RISING UP----

the people of America are beginning to understand that we must bring this
nation back to its fundamental beliefs in the Providence of Almighty God.

the people of America are finally coming back to the realization that they must reach out and get back in touch with Almighty God…and the people of America are recognizing the need to pray

that Almighty God is watching over us.....

that Almighty God is blessing us.....and

that Almighty God is keeping us to the end of history....KEEPING US TO THE END OF HIS STORY!!

Now, you know----as well as I do--- that the history of America has been wrapped around and tied up with the blessings of God. As I have already said, I believe that we can say, without reservation, that God seems to have bestowed special blessings upon America.

From the day this country was founded---until today-- His hand of goodness has been over us...and for a reason...a reason we must never forget....AND THAT REASON IS THAT AMERICA WAS FOUNDED AS A CHRISTIAN NATION!

The ancient Greeks built a civilization upon culture, AND IT FAILED.

The Romans built a civilization upon power, and it failed!

The founding fathers and mothers of America began this nation upon the Christian religion and faith in Jesus Christ...in spite of what those who want to re-write history try and tell you. The United States of America was intentionally founded upon the principles and teachings of Christianity.

The founding fathers and mothers of America left a land where they were persecuted religiously to find a land where they to free to worship the true God. When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock...the very first thing they upon reaching our shores was to kneel down and thank God for giving them and bringing them safely to this new land!

The worship of Almighty God and, specifically, Jesus Christ, was at the center of every new settlement in this new land. When the Continental Congress, faced with great problems and difficulties in this new land, did not know what to do, or which way to turn, Benjamin Franklin called on the members of the Congress to turn to Almighty God, to fall upon their knees, and to pray.

CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TODAY

IF BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS....

IF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES...

IF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES…

IF THE CHRISTIANS OF OUR NATION WOULD BEGIN EACH DAY ON
THEIR KNEES IN PRAYER ASKING FOR

THE GUIDANCE,

THE DIRECTION, AND THE PROTECTION OF ALMIGHTY GOD ON AMERICA?

Did you know that the picture of Moses, the great and faithful leader of God’s ancient and chosen people, was upon the first coin that was made in America, and today, in spite of the efforts of some, those wonderful words

“IN GOD WE TRUST” are still inscribed on our paper money, as well as on all our coins!

YES, OUR FOREFATHERS AND MOTHERS KNEW THAT THEY WERE BUILDING A NATION ON A FIRM FOUNDATION WHEN THEY SET ABOUT TO BUILT AMERICA UPON FAITH IN GOD AND UPON THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION!

Other nations did not build on faith in God alone and they were destroyed.

The Medes and Persians had a great nations, but they drank their way to doom in one drunken orgy after another, and they perished from off the face of the earth, never again to be a great power!

The Egyptians flourished under Joseph, man of God, but in 400 years the people forgot about God, ignored God, disobeyed God and Egypt went down to destruction, never again to be a great power!

The Greeks, under Alexander the Great conquered the world, but he could not conquer himself and died a broken man because there were no more worlds to conquer and Greece came tumbling down, never again to be a great power!

The Romans were the proud rulers of the then-know world, but luxury and lust ate at the very center of its life, and Rome soon perished, never again to be a great power!!

AMERICA, THE LAND THAT WE LOVE, MUST NOT BUILD ON THESE THINGS OR GOVERN BY THESE THINGS OR LET OUR PEOPLE CONCENTRATE ON THESE THINGS. IF WE DO, WE TOO WILL PERISH.

INSTEAD, WE MUST CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR FOUNDATION AND LIFE ON FAITH IN ALMIGHTY GOD AND LIVE FOR HIM!

FOR NOTHING HAS CHANGED TODAY...EXCEPT MAYBE TO GET WORSE AND AMERICA NEEDS GOD TODAY MORE THAN EVER BEFORE!!!

We have tried everything else in America.

We have pursued pleasure until today we spend more for entertainment than any other country in the world.

We have sought knowledge until we hold first place in matters of science and technology.

We have reached out after wealth until we have become the richest nation on the planet.

BUT IT IS ONLY AS AMERICA TURNS TO ALMIGHTY GOD AND FALLS DOWN ON ITS KNEES AND REPENTS AND ASKS GOD’S FORGIVENESS FOR THE SINS OF PAST AND CONTINUED BLESSINGS AND GUIDANCE FOR THE FUTURE THAT AMERICA WILL FIND ITS TRUE SECURITY AND SATISFACTION!

FIRST OF ALL---America needs God in government.

There are great decisions to be made today.

Difficult decisions,

complex decisions,

scary decisions need to be made daily and every public official--- from the President on down-- needs to seek the counsel and wisdom of the Almighty. And you and I can help...by first of all, praying for all people in authority.

YOU AND I NEED TO PRAY for our police officers and law enforcement officials.

YOU AND I NEED TO PRAY for our judges and magistrates.

YOU AND I NEED TO PRAY FOR congressmen and women.

YOU AND I NEED TO PRAY FOR OUR MILITARY LEADERS AND ALL OUR
SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN. And YOU AND I NEED TO PRAY for our President.

Surely they need our prayers as never before.

SECOND OF ALL---America needs God in its voting booths. One of our greatest privileges and responsibilities was placed in our hands by those same forefathers....and that was a piece of paper upon which we can

cast our ballot......

voice our opinion...and

take part in our government.

And there is nothing wrong in voting for those candidates, of either or any party, who recognize the authority of God in their personal faith and public life.

How many of us vote regularly and faithfully?

THIRD---AMERICA NEEDS GOD IN ITS BUSINESSES! Someone has stated that the Golden Rule, which says: “DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE OTHERS DO UNTO YOU” has never worked in business because it has never been tried in business.

But I know that isn’t true. You men and women who have practiced your Christianity in the marketplace and on your jobs and in your professions have found unusual success and great happiness!

FOURTH---AND THIS IS WHERE WE SHOULD REALLY BEGIN: AMERICA NEEDS GOD IN ITS HOMES AND FAMILIES.

Two congressmen were walking down Pennsylvanian Avenue in Washington DC One of them pointed proudly to the Capitol dome and said, “THERE IS THE HEART OF OUR NATION.”

The other man said, “NO, THE HEART OF AMERICA IS IN HER HOMES.”

Godly fathers and mothers need to step up and assume the responsibility of being the kind of parents God would have them be in the home…

teaching their children what God would have them know and practice in their faith,

teaching them to be the kind of righteous and God-loving citizens this nation will need in the future….and teaching them to obey the laws and commands of God and the nation.

FIFTH---AMERICA NEEDS GOD IN IT SCHOOLS TODAY.

Now, I know what the civil libertarians and the courts will tell us about the separation of Church and State and that religion and one’s faith has no place in public education. I SAY, NONSENSE!

Our schools once had a mighty influence upon the morals of our society and public life and they must continue. If we can’t teach our children morality and ethics and behavior based upon God’s Word in our schools , then something is wrong and needs to be changed. Our Schools don’t have to teach a specific religious faith, but they must again be character builders and a moral force in our society!

FINALLY: AMERICA NEEDS GOD IN ITS CHURCHES.

Now, isn’t that a ridiculous sounding statement! “America needs God in its Churches!” “Isn’t God in our churches today?” you ask.

I’M AFRAID THE ANSWER, MANY TIMES, IS “NO”!

Too many churches...

Too many denominations...

too many congregations have...are so busy doing so many other things that they fail to do the one thing they are called to do...and that is proclaim the love of God for all people in

JESUS CHRIST AS THE ONLY SAVIOR FROM SIN AND

THE ONLY HOPE FOR ETERNAL SALVATION!!!

In too many Churches God doesn’t have a chance

to be heard...

to be taught...

to be listened to....and yet the Church ought to be the very center of our lives.

We ought to love it and cherish it and give it the best we have!

God’s Word has told us again this morning: “What joy for the nation whose God is the LORD, whose people He has chosen for His own.”

God is with us. God has blessed us. And God will continue to bless this nation and each of us if we follow Him, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

So, with all the feeling in our heart, let us sing and say, every opportunity we have:

“GOD BLESS AMERICA, LAND THAT WE LOVE,

STAND BESIDE HER AND GUIDE HER

THRU THE NIGHT WITH A LIGHT FROM ABOVE.

FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE PRAIRIES,

TO THE OCEAN WHITE WITH FOAM,

GOD BLESS AMERICA, MY HOME, SWEET HOME.”

And let us always pray with the Psalmist: Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in You alone.

Amen.