Latest / Voices Of Life / We the People: The 250th Year — A Nation Under Providence

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We the People: The 250th Year — A Nation Under Providence · Voices Of Life

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250 years ago, a declaration was read aloud to
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a waiting world. A declaration that changed history.
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It spoke of liberty, of equality, of divine truth.
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It proclaimed that all men are created equal
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and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable
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rights. It was not merely a political statement.
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It was a covenant of faith and freedom. Today,
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on this 250th anniversary of the United States,
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Voices of Life invites you to remember, reflect,
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and rejoice. Join us as we revisit the story
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of independence, not only as citizens of a nation,
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but as people guided by providence. And now,
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your host, Pastor David, leads us through this
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special Independence Day episode. We the people,
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the 250th year, a nation under providence. Welcome
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to Voices of Life, a ministry of the Church for
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Life. On this day, July 4th, 2026, we celebrate
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not only the birth of a nation, but the faith
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that made it possible. Let us begin with Scripture.
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Psalm 33, verse 12. Blessed is the nation whose
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God is the Lord. Lord, as we remember the birth
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of our nation, remind us that liberty is your
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gift, not our achievement. May this hour... renew
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our gratitude, and strengthen our resolve to
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live as people of the faith and freedom. Amen.
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So let's speak to the origins of Independence
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Day. The 4th of July was not always a day of
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fireworks and parades. In 1776, it was a day
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of courage and conviction. The Continental Congress
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approved the Declaration of Independence on July
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4th, and the new nation was born in faith and
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free. Early celebrations were simple. Bells rang,
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churches prayed, and citizens read the Declaration
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out loud in town squares. It was a holy moment
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of gratitude and hope. Galatians 5 verse 1 says,
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Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty where the
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Christ hath made us free. Let's speak to the
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first celebrations. By the 1780s, Independence
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Day had become a national tradition. Cities held
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public readings, bands played patriotic tunes,
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and the churches offered prayers of thanksgiving.
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The day was not about politics. It was about
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providence. It was a reminder that freedom was
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a gift to be stewarded, not a privilege to take
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for granted. Fifty years after the Declaration
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of Independence, the nation paused to celebrate
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its first great jubilee. On July 4, 1826, two
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of the founders, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson,
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passed away within hours of each other. Their
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deaths on the same day were seen as a sign from
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God, a reminder that he had guided their work
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and sealed their legacy. Church bells rang across
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the land. and the citizens wept with gratitude
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in proverbs 16 verse 9 a man's heart plans his
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way but the lord directs his steps a century
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after independence america celebrated its 100th
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birthday and the great centennial exhibition
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in philadelphia independence hall stood as the
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centerpiece and millions visited to see the liberty
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bell it was a moment of renewed faith In progress
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and providence, churches held special services,
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and then the nation gave thanks for the century
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of freedom. In Psalm 90, verse 17, In 1926, President
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Calvin Coolidge spoke from Philadelphia on the
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150th anniversary. He reminded the nation that
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the Declaration was not a human invention, but
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a divine truth. He said the founders were great
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because they believed in something greater than
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themselves. The celebration was marked by parades,
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music, and prayer. A nation remembering its spiritual
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roots. The 200th anniversary, the 1976 Bicentennial.
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200 years after the Declaration of Independence,
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America paused for one of the most joyful national
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celebrations in history, the 1976 Bicentennial.
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It was a year -long festival of gratitude, remembrance,
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and renewal. Tall ships filled the harbors. Fireworks
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lit the skies. Above every major city, churches
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held special services. Families gathered for
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parades. concerts, and patriotic displays. President
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Ford declared the Bicentennial is not the celebration
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of a document, but of a people, a people who
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have lived out their meaning of that document.
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The Bicentennial reminded the nation that liberty
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is not static, it is a living inheritance, and
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it is rekindled a sense of unity at a time when
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America desperately needed healing. I remember
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growing up in Miami, and they dedicated a park
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called the Bicentennial Park. It was a beautiful,
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nice, open park that was formerly some docks.
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Unfortunately, since that time, they've gone
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ahead and built a lot of stuff on it. But it
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was a place for us in time to get together and
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reflect. And reflection is so important. And
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I remember that from my childhood, and I'm sure
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you have your memory of what happened in your
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state and your city during that time. Psalm 46,
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verse 1 says, Even in the turbulence of the 1970s,
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the Bicentennial became a moment of national
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renewal, a reminder that God had not abandoned
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the American story. Every generation must decide,
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what Independence Day means to them. For the
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founders, it was the declaration of faith and
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courage. For the 19th century, it was a reminder
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of unity after war. For the 20th century, it
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was a celebration of progress and perseverance.
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For us, in this 250th year, it is a call to remember
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who we are and whose we are. National memory
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is not nostalgia. It is stewardship. It is gratitude.
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It is responsibility. Deuteronomy 8 verse 11
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says, Beware that you do not forget the Lord
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your God. When a nation forgets its foundations,
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it loses its future. But when a nation remembers
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God, it finds renewal. From the beginning, the
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American story has been woven with spiritual
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thread. The Declaration appeals to the laws of
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nature and nature's God. It speaks of the rights
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endowed by the Creator. It closes with a firm
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reliance on the protection of divine providence.
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These were not accidental phrases. These were
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convictions. The founders. They believe that
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liberty without virtue collapses, that freedom
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without faith decays, that a nation without God
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cannot endure. And remember, our nation was founded
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on the Judeo -Christian values. That's what we
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were founded on. Now, while we freely allow freedom
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of religion, that does not mean the country has
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changed. The country still has those Judeo -Christian
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values. And we have to reflect back to them for
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that strength, for that vision, and be sure that
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our future, and we've adored 250 years, is not
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changed because some people come into the country
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and think, hey, we've got to change everything.
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We've got to change this country and make it
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what our country was. That's not what this was
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about. That doesn't necessarily mean that everyone
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has to assimilate everything, but they do have
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to allow society to continue the way it was shaped
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and formed. That also doesn't mean that there's
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not improvements and changes. A lot of good things
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have happened since the founding. You remember
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that during the making of the Constitution, the
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founding fathers struggled with slavery, but
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slavery worked its way out. It worked its way
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out, unfortunately, in war, but it did work its
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way out. So there are things that need to change.
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They get changed. But nothing changes the foundations.
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The foundations should always look just the way
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they were in 1776. Proverbs 14, verse 34. Righteousness
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exalts the nation. The spiritual thread of independence
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is not a relic, it is a lifeline of the republic.
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And again, remember, we have a constitutional
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republic, not a democracy. Two different things.
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As we close this first segment, I want you to
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remember that Independence Day is not merely
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a date. It is a declaration. A declaration that
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God is the author of liberty. A declaration that
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freedom is worth defending. A declaration that
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providence still guides those who seek him. Let
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us pray. Lord, Thank you for the gift of liberty
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and the courage of those who secured it. Thank
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you for the generations who preserved it. As
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we enter the 250th year of this nation, renew
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our hearts, restore our unity, and revive our
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faith. May America once again be a nation under
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God. In Jesus' name, amen. Let's look now at
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Reopening Reflection. We walked already through
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the birth of liberty and the great anniversaries
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that shaped our nation's memory. Now, let's turn
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our hearts toward the legacy of Providence, how
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God has guided the nation from its founding to
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this very moment and what it captures. Psalm
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100 verse 5 says, For the Lord is good, His mercy
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is everlasting, and His truth endures. to all
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generations generations have come and gone but
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god's truth has endured and so has the american
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story the 150th anniversary the sesquicentennial
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i'm not going to pronounce that right sesquicentennial
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sorry came at a time when America was rising
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in influence and confidence. President Calvin
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Coolidge stood in Philadelphia and reminded the
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nation that the Declaration of Independence was
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rooted in eternal truth, not shifting opinion.
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He said, if all men are created equal, that it
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is final. If they are endowed with inalienable
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rights, that is final. The sesquicentennial was
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marked by reverence, reflection, and a renewed
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sense of national purpose. Churches held prayer
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services. Schools taught the Declaration with
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fresh enthusiasm. The Liberty Bell became a symbol
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of unity in a rapidly changing world. James 1
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verse 17 says, Every good and perfect gift is
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from above. Freedom is one of those gifts. The
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Bicentennial was more than a celebration. It
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was a national revival of gratitude. Millions
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gathered for parades, concerts, fireworks, dedications.
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The tall ships sailed into New York Harbor. Patriotic
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music filled the air. We had Bicentennial coin
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struck. Families decorated their homes in red,
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white, and blue. Churches across the nation held
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special services of thanksgiving. It was a moment
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when America remembered who she was and why she
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existed. President Ford said, We celebrate not
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the completion of America, but the beginning.
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The Bicentennial reminded us that liberty is
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a journey, one guided by the hand of providence.
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Psalm 46 verse 10 says, Be still and know, that
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i am god even in turbulent times god was still
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guiding the nation the 225th anniversary 2001
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that was a quiet milestone not quite celebrated
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like everything else the 225th anniversary came
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a year marked both celebration and sorrow because
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we had the twin towers of terrorist attack in
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new york And we lost so many people working in
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the building, first responders, firefighters,
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police, and others. And that was a time of sorrow
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because not only did we have to mourn the thousands
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that died, but we had to change the way we lived.
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We had to have armed soldiers at airports. We
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had to create a new Department of Homeland Security
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to take care of everyday travel so that we didn't
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have this type of situation come up. So we went
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through a lot of change. But before the tragedies
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of September 11th, Americans gathered for concerts,
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historical reenactments, and patriotic ceremonies.
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After the attack, Independence Day took on a
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deeper meaning, a reminder that freedom is fragile
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and unity is essential. Churches became places
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of refuge. Communities prayed together. The nation
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rediscovered its dependence on God. Psalm 34
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verse 18 says, The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.
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Even in grief, providence was present. And now,
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here we stand, the 250th anniversary of the United
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States of America. A quarter of a millennium.
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Ten generations. A nation preserved by grace.
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This year, the celebration is unlike any before
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it. Across the country, communities are gathering
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for concerts, reenactments, parades, prayer services.
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On the National Mall, there's... But the heart
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of the celebration in Washington, D .C. at the
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National 250th Anniversary State Fair... is a
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once -in -a -lifetime gathering of all fifty
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states and our territories there are historical
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villages colonial reenactments live readings
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of the declaration choirs singing patriotic hymns
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fireworks over the national mall a two hundred
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fifty year time capsule and a national prayer
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service for unity and renewal. It is a jubilee,
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a celebration of liberty, faith, and the enduring
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hand of providence. But amongst all that celebration,
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amongst all that patriotic spirit and energy,
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there's also a sorrow or a dark side to that.
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You have people that want to destroy our liberty
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and what our country stands for. People that...
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happen to be our citizens or naturalized citizens
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that would come into the country and let's look
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at the reflection pool by the Lincoln Memorial.
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They would purposely degregate it, humiliate
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it, tear it apart, all in the interest of a political
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statement. Has nothing to do with anything of
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our pride, our nation's strength, our Nathan's
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vision. Our nation has the ability to continue
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to grow. But people that... do those type of
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acts, have no regard for anyone else, not even
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themselves. And we pray for them. We pray that
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God gives them some guidance, strengthens their
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heart to do the right things instead of the wrong
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ones. And we hope that God's strength will energize
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them to go on a path of righteousness, not on
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a path of destruction. And I think that had to
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be said. In Scripture, Leviticus 25 verse 10.
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Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto
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the inhabitants thereof. The same scripture inscribed
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on the Liberty Bell now rings across the nation
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once again. 250 years is not just a number, it
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is a testimony. A testimony that God preserves
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nations. A testimony that liberty survives trials.
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A testimony that faith endures. The founders
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believed that the American experiment would succeed
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only if the people remained virtuous and dependent
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on God. John Adams wrote this, Our Constitution
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was made only for a moral and religious people.
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The 250th years calls us back to that truth.
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And even though we were, again, going back to
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our Judeo -Christian foundations, we allow people's
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freedom of religion, even if that religion is
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atheism, where they don't believe in a God at
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all. And we pray for those people because we
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know that their path, is not a path that was
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originally intended for this country, nor a path
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that can be fruitful in the long term. I think
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back to those words again that John Adams wrote,
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our constitution was made only for a moral and
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religious people. Well, the 250 year anniversary
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calls us back to the truth. Proverbs 3 verse
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6 says, in all your ways, acknowledge him and
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he shall direct your path. A nation that acknowledges
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God finds direction. A nation that forgets Him
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loses their way. And I can't help to wonder of
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those lost souls. I can't help but not to pray
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for their souls and wish them enlightenment.
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Well, every anniversary looks backwards, but
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the 250th also looks forward. What kind of nation
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will we be in the next 50 years? The next 100
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years? The next 250 years? The answer? depends
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on the next generation, on their faith, their
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courage, their commitment to truth. Independence
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Day is not only a celebration of the past, it
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is a commissioning for the future. Psalm 78 verse
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4 says, We will tell the next generation the
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praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. We must pass
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on the flame of liberty and the light of faith.
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As we reflect on 250 years of history, one truth
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stands above all others. God has been faithful.
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Through war and peace, prosperity and hardship,
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unity and division, his hand has guided this
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nation. Not because we are perfect, not because
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we are deserving, but because he is merciful.
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The story of America is the story of providence.
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Let us pray. Lord, we thank you for the gift
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of freedom. a freedom purchased by sacrifice,
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preserved by courage and sustained by your grace.
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Thank you for the guiding this nation from its
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birth in 1776 to this 250th year. Thank you for
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the men and women who stood for truth, who fought
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for justice, who prayed for peace, and who believed
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that this land could be a beacon of hope for
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the world. Today we ask you to renew our hearts,
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restore our unity, revive our faith. Teach us
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to walk humbly, to love mercy, and to do justice.
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May your hand of providence continue to rest
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upon the United States of America. May we, your
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people, shine as lights in our homes, our communities,
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and our nation. Lord, bless America, not because
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we deserve it, but because we need it. Guide
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our leaders, strengthen our families, protect
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our freedoms, and draw our hearts back to you.
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And now may the Lord bless you and keep you.
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May the Lord make his face shine upon you and
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may be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up
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his continuance upon giving you peace today and
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in all the days to come. In Jesus' name, amen.
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As we bring this Independence Day special to
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a close, let us turn our hearts to the Lord,
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the author of liberty, the keeper of nations,
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and the one who has carried America through 250
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years of triumphs, trials, and transformation.
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As we celebrate this 250th Independence Day,
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remember this. Liberty is a gift. Faith is a
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foundation. And Providence still writes the story
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of this nation. Thank you for joining us for
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this special Independence Day edition of Voices
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of Life. On behalf of the Church for Life, our
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entire team, and all who labor to bring these
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stories of faith and history to life. God bless
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you. God bless your family. And God bless the
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United States of America. This is Pastor David.
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Happy Independence Day. And may the flame of
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freedom... Burn bright in your heart. You have
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been listening to the Voices of Life Independence
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Day Special. Today, we remembered the birth of
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liberty. We traced the hand of providence across
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250 years. And we celebrated the faith and courage
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that shaped the United States of America. As
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this historic day comes to a close, may the story
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of our nation remind you that freedom is a gift,
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that unity is a calling, and that God is still
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at work in the heart of this land. Thank you
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for joining us for this special broadcast. And
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now, your host, Pastor David, leaves you with
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this blessing. May God bless you. May God bless
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your family. And may God bless the United States
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of America. This has been the Voices of Life.
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Independence Day. Special. Good night. And happy
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Independence Day.