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Happy Independence Day From The Providence Forum

Independence Day:
 John Adams' "Day of Deliverance"

John Adams

 
As we approach Independence Day it is a good time to reflect on just what this special holiday means and why we celebrate as Americans.  Put as a question, we might ask, "Why all the fireworks?"
 
John Adams, writing on July 3, 1776 from Philadelphia to his wife, Abigail, eloquently and prophetically captured the mood that would accompany future anniversaries commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence:

"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 Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."

His description sounds a lot like what the 4th of July has been for the last 233 years: parades, festivals, picnics, fireworks, music, celebratory gatherings.  But if you look carefully at Adams' words, he does not tie the revelry to an excitement only about being a new nation - America - independent of Great Britain.  He rightly understood the foundation of America, and that the fireworks and festivals also ought to include "solemn acts of Devotion to God Almighty" for "the Day of Deliverance."
 
The biblical imagery is unmistakable.  Adams connected the biblical Exodus with American independence, revealing both a special providence for this newly formed nation, and a special responsibility.  Writing prior to the years of bloodshed of the Revolutionary War, Adams continued his letter with full comprehension of the totality of what the emergence of our nation would mean:

"You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. - I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. - Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not."

Thus, America was not to be a nation unto itself, a nation satisfied with its mere existence.  Adams envisioned America as a nation comprised of "Rays of ravishing Light and Glory." Those "rays" mean many things to many Americans, including liberty, freedom, responsibility, and charity.  These have been bought with the price of "Toil and Blood and Treasure."  The Providence Forum, together with all Americans, celebrates our Independence Day this year because so many have sacrificed so much  over the last two centuries to preserve America so that it can shine its light to the world, a light considered at its founding to be a solemn, providentially planned divine act of deliverance and freedom.


We wish you a blessed Independence Day!

Hello Pastor Roger,

Brother, I love freedom and give thanks for all of those who secured and preserved it. This is uppermost in my mind when I celebrate the 4th of July. I must add that any thanks for freedom must have GOD at the top of the list. Our Founders believed strongly in thanking GOD for all things FIRST, and so do I.

I will celebrate the 4th of July in many ways, most certainly involving THANKS TO GOD. This year will be mixed with sadness over what I see happening to our country that will most definitely IMPACT OUR FREEDOM sooner or later. This will be the first 4th of July in my life that I have doubts about the PRESERVATION OF OUR FREEDOMS, including our RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS and basic RIGHTS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION. It's sad to watch what's going on. If it continues, the future won't resemble FREEDOM. Bluntly, it appears that things are going to get UGLY and HARD. I won't be blaming GOD for anything negative, so my THANKS TO HIM remains the same. My sadness involves men - NOT GOD. I firmly believe that GOD has richly blessed us, even in times where we deserved nothing but HIS WRATH on our nation. As a nation, we have not rendered UNTO GOD what is HIS and have turned our backs to HIM. Overall as a nation, there has been a concerted effort to drive HIM out, disobey HIM, and do a host of things that are an abomination in HIS Eyes. Part of our THANKS TO GOD should be that HE hasn't poured out HIS Righteous Wrath and what we actually deserve on this nation. That Righteous Wrath will come at HIS appointed time on all evil men on the earth. In the meantime, we can watch and see what evil and corrupt men are capable of causing. The further men get away from GOD AND GOD'S WAYS - the worse chaos, confusion, and suffering. Not one of the answers or solutions is available away or without GOD! WITH GOD AND IN GOD MEANS THE BEST OF HUMAN CONDITIONS IN THIS SHORT LIFE, but men are choosing the devil instead, so man will experience the opposite of what GOD intended for HIS CREATION! IT REALLY IS JUST AS SIMPLE AS THIS!

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 33:1-22 ASV  Rejoice in Jehovah, O ye righteous: Praise is comely for the upright.  2  Give thanks unto Jehovah with the harp: Sing praises unto him with the psaltery of ten strings.  3  Sing unto him a new song; Play skilfully with a loud noise.  4  For the word of Jehovah is right; And all his work is done in faithfulness.  5  He loveth righteousness and justice: The earth is full of the lovingkindness of Jehovah.  6  By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.  7  He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap: He layeth up the deeps in store-houses.  8  Let all the earth fear Jehovah: Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.  9  For he spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.  10  Jehovah bringeth the counsel of the nations to nought; He maketh the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.  11  The counsel of Jehovah standeth fast for ever, The thoughts of his heart to all generations.  12  Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah, The people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.  13  Jehovah looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men;  14  From the place of his habitation he looketh forth Upon all the inhabitants of the earth,  15  He that fashioneth the hearts of them all, That considereth all their works.  16  There is no king saved by the multitude of a host: A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.  17  A horse is a vain thing for safety; Neither doth he deliver any by his great power.  18  Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear him, Upon them that hope in his lovingkindness;  19  To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.  20  Our soul hath waited for Jehovah: He is our help and our shield.  21  For our heart shall rejoice in him, Because we have trusted in his holy name.  22  Let thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, be upon us, According as we have hoped in thee.

As some of you may know, I'm celebrating the 4th by going to a "Tea Party"!  I'm interested to see what the speakers have to say.  It's only from noon-3pm tomorrow.  I'm very curious to meet others in my area that are "tea'd off" too!

Sister, it looks and sounds RIGHT to me. Lord Willing, I hope to have the health to attend a tea-party soon. This year I'm going to be content to have a quiet day in my home with my wife.

I wish everyone a Happy and Safe 4th of July.

The Bible speaks of the glory of God it is referring to His worth and honor and greatness. Or, when this word is used of God, we could say that His majesty or supremacy is in view.

All of creation has as its goal and purpose the glory of God. He created everything for His own glory. Everything that exists has its existence from God and for God. Romans 11:36 “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”

John Calvin was correct when he said that creation is the theater of God’s glory. Because this is true, we exist for the glory of God. And just as the inanimate creation has been called to glorify God, so have we. The inanimate creation and the lower animate creatures, bring glory to God simply by being what God created them to be. As Psalm 19:1 teaches, by virtue of their mere existence the heavens declare the glory of God.

But it is not just in big things that we are to seek God’s glory. Even in mundane, day-to-day things we are consciously to show how glorious He is. That is the reason Paul puts it like he does in 1 Corinthians 10:31. “whether you eat or drink........”

“We shall bring our Lord most glory if we get from Him much grace. If I have much faith, so that I can take God at His Word…I shall greatly honor my Lord and King.” - Charles Spurgeon

 " You do well to wish to learn our arts and our ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. Congress will do everything they can to assist you in this wise intention." - George Washington

" Let...statesmen and patriots unite their endeavors to renovate the age by...educating their little boys and girls...and leading them in the study and practice of the exalted virtues of the Christian system." - Samuel Adams

"History will also afford frequent opportunities of showing the necessity of a public religion...and the excellency of the Christian religion above all others, ancient or modern." - Benjamin Franklin

"Only one adequate plan has ever appeared in the world, and that is the Christian dispensation." - John Jay, ORIGINAL CHIEF-JUSTICE U.S. SUPREME COURT

"The United States of America were no longer Colonies. They were an independent nation of Christians." - John Quincy Adams

AMEN!

I couldn't find a scheduled tea party within traveling distance of me. We are having a family gathering here instead. It's raining pretty heavy this morning but is supposed to be clear later this afternoon so we might have a cookout. If so it will probably turn into one of those neighborhood type events where all the neighbors are cooking out. A great opportunity to turn it into a tea party.

Mmmm tea.

Happy independence day. America is 233 correct?

lol ... a different kind of tea party however there will probably be a lot of that kind of tea going around also.

Yes, it is 233 yrs.

For those of you missing the fireworks tonight...........


This goes to my photobucket.

YEAH! - That was nice. Everyone should turn up the sound and go see this.