Galatians 5: 13-14
“It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom”.

Today July 4th, we will celebrate Independence Day. It was actually July 2, 1776 when the Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Great Brittan. The draft of the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson was finalized in print on July 4, 1776 and the Continental Congress voted to adopt the document.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”…

The American Revolution officially began with “the shot heard around the world” when American colonists and British forces clashed at Lexington, Massachusetts on April 18, 1775. About 70 Minutemen confronted 700 British troops when someone fired a shot. The battle was brief leaving 8 colonists dead and 10 wounded. Only 1 British soldier was wounded.

That same day, the British went on to Concord, Massachusetts to seize 3 cannons. On the North Bridge, there was a battle that sent the British retreating to Boston. The Americans had won that battle but the hard fought war wasn’t over until George Washington defeated British General Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia on October 19, 1783.

Through much debate and compromise, the United States Constitution was ratified by the states on June 21, 1788. By 1791, 10 amendments and the Bill of Rights were added to the Constitution in the spirit of making America a more perfect union, a union God has had his hand on since conception.

On this Independence Day, we must increase our resolve to maintain our republic. My prayer is that the church be awakened and Christians profess God given freedom from the roof tops. Christians must rise from the pews and do our duty as biblical citizens to be governed under God’s world view..
When you hear the fireworks today on July 4th, remember the “shot heard around the world”.