You can look down the street and see the beautiful United States flags flying. We are getting ready to celebrate on July 4th, Independence Day and our 247th birthday. This country has been blessed with so many freedoms. We have and are enjoying the freedoms that others fought and died for. We have the freedom to celebrate the holiday in the way we choose. There may be parades, picnics, ball games, fireworks, family and friends getting together. This great country was founded on the idea that men and women should be free and should have some basic rights and freedoms. Like freedom from other governments,
freedom from the tyranny of our own government and freedom of religion. Men and women fought and died so we could have those freedoms. In addition, our troops are in various parts of the world today trying to preserve and protect the freedoms of others and let us not forget them. I am also reminded of an even greater freedom that was made available to us many years ago when Christ gave His life for us, (John 3:16, 8:36 & Romans 5:8). So we could have forgiveness from our sins, (Acts 10:43 & Ephesians 1:7) and the hope of a new life and a new future, (Romans 6:23 & Hebrews 10:16-23). Let us remember these two great events this holiday and the people that made these freedoms available to us. See you in Church next Sunday. Brother J