“It will be celebrated by
succeeding generations
as the great anniversary
festival.
It ought to be
commemorated as the day of deliverance,
by solemn acts of devotion
to God Almighty.”
– John Adams
July 3, 1776
How to Celebrate the
4th of July
John Adams predicted to his wife
two days earlier, the 4th of July celebration.
He wrote in a letter to Abigail, his wife
…
most memorable epoch in the history of America.
I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by
succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.
It ought to be
commemorated as the day of deliverance,
by solemn acts of
devotion to God Almighty.
It ought to be solemnized
with pomp and parade,
with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and
illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other,
from this time forward
forever more.”
John Adams saw the Declaration of the American people in
1776
as the most memorable epoch in America’s history.
No doubt he understood the magnitude
of deliverance and freedom.
John Adams saw what
oppression can do to a people.
When people forget their Creator,
they can quickly look on others as less important.
It can happen in the home,
in the work place and even in a nation.
The mind that forgets God can quickly
turn to things that will oppress others.
turn to things that will oppress others.
John Adams could see
annual celebrations of freedom;
The fireworks throughout the centuries.
He said, “It ought to
be commemorated
as a day of
Deliverance.”
He knew that whenever the captives are set free
it isn’t by the power of military strength…
It is God who sets the captive free.
Therefore he writes…
“…By solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”
Deliverance should be commemorated.
When we forget God – we lose our freedom.
Let us this fourth of July, and every day,
heed the words of John Adams…
“…By solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”
“God Bless America”
Scripture Reading
Romans
1:19-20 NIV
20 For since the creation of the world
God's
invisible qualities —
his eternal
power and divine nature
— have been
clearly seen,
being
understood from what has been made,
so that men
are without excuse.
Romans
1:28-32 NIV
28
Furthermore, since they did not think it
worthwhile
to retain the knowledge of God,
he gave them
over to a depraved mind,
to do what
ought not to be done.
29 They have become filled
with every
kind
of
wickedness, evil,
greed and
depravity.
They are
full of envy, murder,
strife,
deceit and malice.
They are
gossips,
slanderers,
God-haters,
insolent,
arrogant and boastful;
they invent
ways of doing evil;
they disobey
their parents;
they are
senseless, faithless,
heartless,
ruthless.
32 Although
they know God's righteous decree
that those
who do such things deserve death,
they not
only continue to do these very things
but also
approve of those who practice them.
