Grace and peace to you all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We live in a great land. Our history is rich. Battles have been fought to insure our possession. Great leaders have come and gone and come again. We stand on the shoulders of previous sacrifice and loyalty. Freedom has been the air we breathe. We’ve been a light to the world in many ways. Ours future and the future of our children drive us forward. Blood has been spilled to attain our privileges. Our ethics and laws have held us together. We stand together under one emblem, to which we pledge our allegiance. We are united by one dream. We pledge allegiance as one nation under God. I am talking, of course, about our heritage in the kingdom of God.

This Sunday, July 4th, however, we celebrate similar claims and truths about our American heritage. Festivities, gatherings, fireworks and thankfulness will fill the air. We’re called, as Christians, not only to celebrate, but also to pray for and live well for the good of the nation in which we live. I hope that the 4th is a day on which you’ll celebrate with a meaningful prayer for our land, and in particular that it will exist with an open heart toward the God of heaven who reigns over all the nations of the earth. Several are planning to be at our building to watch the city fireworks from the parking lot, an ongoing tradition by now. If you’d like to join us, we’ll see you at dark.

Summer has certainly started and the traveling has begun. I hope and pray that you have a wonderful one as you travel to see family and friends and spend time having fun and relaxation. Be careful in your travels, and as my father-in-law use to say, “don’t tempt the Lord.” Those of you who are here, I want to encourage again to make a point of attending one of our classes. Both the Wednesday night series, and our Sunday a.m. classes are geared to help us grow spiritually. Many thanks to all of you that are working hard at preparing your messages.

Thank you, Lord, for the rain. It’s a ‘yes’ answer to many prayers.

Looking forward to seeing you Sunday.

Love, Randy