Transcript

American Family Radio celebrates Independence Day with a special Bible study

>> Jeff Chamblee: The Bible. It's the word of God, sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions. Welcome to Exploring the Word.

>> Bert Harper: And we are wishing you a, very happy Independence Day. You and your family, or some people say July 4th, but we hope you're having a great day. This is Burt Harper along with Dr. Alex McFarland M. And we are saying that today is a day of celebration.

>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely. Happy fourth of July to everyone listening and to my colleague and friend here, Bert Harper.

Exploring the Word celebrates America's four freedoms on July 4th

isn't it a blessing that we can do what other nations in the world look at with envy and awe? We can freely elect our leaders. We can, at least to this point, still freely speak. And we've got what the Bible calls and our founders envisioned. We've got liberty. Isn't that something?

>> Bert Harper: It is. And we talk about the four freedoms, and they are great freedoms. In addition to that, one of them is that freedom of speech, freedom of worship. it's just a great, great freedom that we have here in America. And I found in fathers, they staked their lives and their fortunes on that.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, they did. They said, you know, pledging our lives, our fortunes, our sacred honor. And they said this in the Declaration, they said, appealing to God for the rectitude of our intentions. Now, we're going to talk about that. This is a special edition of Exploring the Word. What we're going to do today. Among other things, we're going to give you some facts about our country. We hope it will be inspiring. And we're going to talk about a song, America, or as is most commonly known, america the Beautiful. We're going to talk about that. It's full of scripture, and we're going to pull out, line by line, the Bible, allusions, the biblical references in the very famous Katharine Lee Bates song, America the Beautiful. But first, I, hope everybody listening is having a very happy day. Maybe you're like, I probably, as you hear this, I'm probably going to have, my hands on some, utensils over a grill flipping hot dogs and hamburgers, because that's generally what we do. But, Bert, let me ask you this. what does the Harper family do on America's birthday?

>> Bert Harper: Well, we usually grill out and we try to find a watermelon and some homemade ice cream.

>> Alex McFarland: Yes, sir.

>> Bert Harper: That just goes with the territory. And growing up July 4th was a very important day. I'm the youngest of nine, and, some of my sisters were moved away, and they could only come in maybe once a year. And it was usually around July 4th.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah.

>> Bert Harper: And that was the time when all nine with the in laws and the grandchildren that we would meet together, and we'd have close to 40 people at our house on July 4th. And, that was a childhood memory, and I still remember it. And even today, when my family can't all come in, we still have a grand time.

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, I love July 4th. Growing up on a farm, we had a farm for 88 years. And, oh, my goodness, we always would fish because we had a little pond there, and we would have all the neighbors over. And, there was an older man in our neighborhood who would make lemonade. And m. His name was Brandt Taylor. He's long with the Lord now. But, I would always ask my grandmother and my mom, is Mr. Taylor going to come? Because. Because that meant we were going to have lemonade. And he had this big old pot, and, he would make the best lemonade.

>> Bert Harper: Probably did it have a dipper to dip it out of and pour it into cups?

>> Alex McFarland: We did. And you know what? when the Waltons used to be on TV in the 70s, you know, that was our life. I mean, really. And I thought, okay, it's a TV show about the way we live.

>> Bert Harper: I mean, really, it was us as well. And, if you haven't watched it, try to find it on the television, cable, or you can even go to stores and buy. Buy the CDs, you know what? DVDs, I should say.

>> Alex McFarland: I feel very privileged. We're in the 21st century, and look, I get it. It's the modern world, and we're all wired up, and there's cell phones and Internet and all that. I understand that, but I feel very, very privileged. I mean, I was on the tail end, I guess, as a baby boomer. I was born in 64. And, you know, growing up, you.

>> Bert Harper: Barely made it in as a baby boomer. Barely made it.

>> Alex McFarland: Look, I remember, the old men sitting outside the Esso station, whittling on sticks and saying, what's your name, boy? And, does your daddy know you're not at home working on the farm? I remember being in school at the first of school when they would call the roll and they would ask your address and phone number, and easily one third of the kids in my class would say, no phone. They didn't Have a telephone.

>> Bert Harper: I was one of those that we had no phone.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. And I, ah, remember when there were outhouses and things like that, talking.

>> Bert Harper: To telephones, you had party lines and, you had to make sure they were not using it. You weren't supposed to eavesdrop, but party, lines.

>> Alex McFarland: But let me say this. traveling the country as I do, I'm frequently on the west coast and in New York in different places to do media. And people will ask me, what's it like to be from the Bible Belt? And, I say, you know, it was great because back then, it was. We didn't lock our doors. I mean, we just didn't. And for some of you listening, this might be a little bit unthinkable, but there was a time when the ripple effect of Christianity really was a civilizing force throughout our nation. And I'm going to give a Bible verse here in a minute, but I'm very. I, thank God that I remember, coming up in a time when, Jesus Christ and the Ten Commandments really were the culture of the land. You know what I mean?

>> Bert Harper: It's a privilege. It is a privilege to have known that and be a part of that.

On July 8, 1776, they read the Declaration of Independence publicly

And so we do say it's our nation's birthday. 1776, July 4th.

>> Alex McFarland: Right.

>> Bert Harper: what a great day that was when those men came and pledged everything that we would have, the freedoms we have today. I mean, lasting more than 200 years now. I mean, it is amazing.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, and let me say this. At a birthday, it is appropriate to give a gift. And this is America's birthday. And we can say, happy Birthday, America. But maybe the gift we give our country today is to begin earnestly to pray for our country. Benjamin Franklin, one of the men who helped write the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin, said, everybody loves the fruits of freedom, but few are willing to tend the tree that bears the fruits. our tree, needs a little bit of tending right now. And so maybe the birthday gift you would give our country is to earnestly pray for America. we're going to get to some facts here, but think about this. July 8, 1776, four days after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which, had God not really intervened, the 56 signers of the Declaration may as well have signed their own death warrants, because basically, and I want to tell you something here in a minute, but, they began to read the declaration publicly. On July 8, 1776, they read the Declaration of Independence. They rung the liberty Bell, which Tennessee Ernie Ford would sing about the Liberty Bell. but the bell's inscription has a Bible verse on it that was publicly read July 8, 1776. Leviticus 25:10. Proclaim liberty throughout all the land and to all the inhabitants thereof. That's our foundation, isn't it?

>> Bert Harper: And honestly proclaim liberty. Yes, that was something to proclaim. The heralds of the towns would go forth and they would herald this message and the inhabitants thereof. Now, here's the neat thing. I know there is a segment of society that did not get those freedoms until later on. But the neat part of our declaration and then following with the Constitution was the ability to amend that which they could correct that which was wrong. That's one of the amazing things. I know this is not the, constitution, but it's the Declaration of independence on July 4. But it set the stage. And being able to amend it with correction was one of the greatest things. And that has been a blessing as well.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, it has. And, you know, I don't want to get off track here. And we could talk about, finally the eradication of slavery in Emancipation Proclamation, which took essentially about 70 years to come around.

>> Bert Harper: but it did.

>> Alex McFarland: But it did. But it did. I mean, we're the only nation in history. young people, if a professor says to you, well, America's not so great, you know, we had slavery. Look, we're the only nation in history that fought a war with our own selves, a civil war to free slaves and end slavery. I mean, we got it fixed. We did. But I want to say this, that, imagine the courage. Imagine the courage to write up this declaration. Everybody signed it. On July 4, 1776, they begin to publicly read it. And in my own home state of North Carolina, there is a very historic church, Buffalo Presbyterian Church. I was their interim pastor. We, got McFarland's in that cemetery going back 215 years. But one of the places the declaration was publicly read was on the steps of Buffalo Presbyterian Church. David Caldwell, the pastor, read it. They said women fainted. Do you know why? Because they knew it meant we were at war with Britain. Now, Britain had a standing army throughout the colonies, and suddenly all these colonists say, oh, by the way, we're free now. You know, proclaim liberty throughout the land. We're all free. Britain said, not so fast.

>> Bert Harper: Hey, wait a minute here. We got something to say about that.

>> Alex McFarland: And a revolutionary war was on. Part of the reason, Bert, that I am passionate, passionate, patriotic. And we've got to pray We've got to proclaim. We've got to model Christianity and love this nation second only to our citizenship in heaven with Christ. I think about the accountability we have to the founding fathers that bled and died. The young men, the old men, the women, the families that stared down British, gun barrels so that our children and their posterity would have liberty and freedom. We're accountable.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. It also makes me think about the generations to come. And I'm reminded of a song. May those who come behind us find us faithful. Faithful to the word of God, but also thankful and faithful. Alex, I found out two things go together, and we've already hit on them. Faithfulness and thankfulness. Those two things. It's hard to separate those and those men. That and their families. Let's just be. They had wives. Most of them had wives.

Burt Harper: Was it rebellion? Yes, it was justifiable

Most of them had families. And it was not just them risking their lives. It was their entire family because many of, those men's children would give their lives in trying to get this freedom. It was justifiable rebellion, everybody says. Was it rebellion? Yes, it was justifiable. And that's what the Declaration of Independence was really all about, was writing up the reasons why these grievances was against the mother country.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah.

>> Bert Harper: It was a time they would not release us.

>> Alex McFarland: Yes.

>> Bert Harper: And there has to be a time of release.

>> Alex McFarland: Exactly. It was justifiable. And. And, you know, I think about this also if you sometime Google or read, the fate of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, people like Thomas Nelson, who, had his house burned. some of the founding fathers died as paupers, poor and indigent.

>> Bert Harper: But they didn't start that way.

>> Alex McFarland: No.

>> Bert Harper: Oh, they were wealthy men.

>> Alex McFarland: They were wealthy. So here we are in the 21st century, and now it's our hour. to be faithful and, you know, like Franklin said, eternal vigilance to tend the tree that bears the fruit so that this liberty can be perpetuated for future generations.

>> Bert Harper: This is exploring the Word on the American Family Radio. We're wishing you a happy Independence Day. Alex and I are pre recording this program, so we'll not be taking phone calls at the end, but we want you to stay tuned as we look at America the Beautiful and the biblical analogy thereof. will you take a moment and celebrate life with me? Last year, PreBorn helped to rescue over 67,000 babies from abortion. Hi, this is Burt Harper, and I want to thank you for your partnership. Think about what you did. 67,000 babies are taking their first breath now because of you, your $28 sponsored one ultrasound that was given to a woman as she was deciding about the future of her child. Once she saw her precious baby for the first time and heard that sweet heartbeat, her baby's chance at life doubled. But preborn's mission is not only to rescue babies lives, but also to lead women to Christ. Last year PreBorn network clinics saw 8,900 women receive salvation. Your help is crucial to continue their life saving work.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Exploring the Word on American Family Radio. Connect with Alex and Bert on the Exploring the Word Facebook page. Facebook.com exploringtheword or email wordfr.net the word.

>> Alex McFarland: Is alive and the world and its glories will fade. But it's true, it will not pass away. It remains yesterday. Welcome back to Exploring the word. Alex McFarland, Burt Harper here wishing you and your dear family a very, very, very happy Independence Day holiday.

John Adams says the Declaration of Independence was founded on Christian principles

Bert, let me read a quote from our second U.S. president, John Adams. He was one of the signers of the Declaration of independence. in 1813, John Adams said this. The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the only principles in which that beautiful assembly of young gentlemen could unite. Okay, now think about this. The only context, the only principles in which that congregation of gentlemen could unite. And Adams goes on, and what were these general principles? I answer. The general principles of Christianity in which all these sects were, were united. In other words, the different church backgrounds, very famous quote. June 28th, 1813, our second U.S. president. Now I will avow that I then believe, and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God, and that these principles of liberty are unalterable. So Adams, says, God, Christianity, the nature of God, unchanging. The principles of liberty, eternal. And those are the principles on which this nation is founded. The principles of Christianity, the common ground on which our founding fathers could meet. And what did they give us? What did they create, sustain, bequeath to us? America.

>> Bert Harper: America. I think a little bit of history. We don't want to go back. We want to stay with what we're trying to do here about America the beautiful. But it is significant that the first Great Awakening had taken place before and prepared these men to be able to believe what John Adams said. Because it was all the way from Massachusetts, all the way down to Georgia and everything in between. George Whitefield had preached in every one of the colonies, I think every one of them, if I'm not mistaken, all the way up. And so God had prepared and the fields were ready for harvest.

>> Alex McFarland: Exactly. And you know, that great awakening really began in 1748 in Enfield, Connecticut. And this is history worth repeating. Okay? A 28 year old clergyman, had been very burdened and he thought to himself, I bet only 25% of my church members really are born again. His name, and I've been to his church in Enfield, Connecticut. And he also preached famously in Northampton, Massachusetts. His name was Jonathan Edwards. So he had poor eyesight. He had to read his sermons. Okay. It wasn't charisma of character. In fact, they said it was kind of a monotone. He would hold the paper up and peer over it like looking over a wall. He comes out with a barn burner of a sermon called Sinners in the hands of an angry God. People were gripping the pew as if fearful they were going to fall into the fires of hell. They said when he would preach the sermon, sometimes people would shout, I believe you. Hurry up. Get to the point. How do I be saved? But what happened for a good 10 to 12 year period till about 1760 was the Great Awakening. Two thirds of all American citizens, or, two thirds of all the colonists, we should properly say, became born again Christians. And it made the history books. And you're right, Bert, it paved the way for the birth of a nation.

>> Bert Harper: It was a tsunami that happened and then the waves would continue. And the waves were continuing during that period of time. The number of colleges, the number of missionaries, the orphanages.

>> Alex McFarland: You will look back on the Bible.

>> Bert Harper: Societies that were started, those great things were started as a result of God moving among his people and then those people going out. It was like a pebble in a pond. The ripple effect was continual. And yes, I believe that the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution was on the ripple effect of the first Great Awakening.

>> Alex McFarland: I agree.

Could there possibly be another pervasive national revival? Could we

So let me ask you this. Could it happen again? Could we? I mean, we're a nation very materialistic. We're consumed with entertainment and busyness and work and making money. We've to a large degree lost our moral footing. Could. Could there possibly be another pervasive national revival?

>> Bert Harper: I don't believe I would do what I'm doing if I did not believe God could intervene. It will be God intervening, and I believe he can. Will he? I believe with all my heart. It's a lot to do with those who are listening to this broadcast. Will we believe what God says about sin? Will we believe what God says about turning to him? You cannot serve two gods. And that's what a lot of the People are trying to do. They're trying to serve God and mammons the way the King James version. Money or, the love of money. And so, yes, Alex, it can happen. Will it? We're going to pray and seek God and hope it does well.

>> Alex McFarland: And you know the old saying, pray as if it's all dependent on God, work as if it's all dependent on me. I think the question we can ask ourselves. And, hey, I'm preaching at Alex here. could it happen? Of course. Will it happen? Well, is Alex willing to do his part to make it happen? I often say this when churches invite me in to do a revival series. And I do that a lot and love to do it. I tell them, I say, you know what? yes, Pastor, I'll come. Happy to do it. But just remember, I don't bring a revival in my briefcase. So ask your people if they want me to come. Will they pray? Will they invite lost people? Because here's the deal. We can't, drum it up or something like that, but just like a sailboat, you can cast your sails to catch where the wind is blowing. And I think as we repent of sin, cleave to Christ, really intercede, and folks, I mean fast and pray and get out of our comfort zone, invite people to church. Don't rock the boat. Help row the boat. Is that some of the ways we can point our sails to catch the breeze?

>> Bert Harper: It's the only way. there it says, be filled with the spirit. the filling, it's not a term of measurement, like pouring water into a cup. It's really a nautical term. It is filling the sails that's been lifted. And the way I see it, we're to lift our hands when we surrender to God. I watched the old Westerns. Gunsmoke, you know, Wagon Train and all of those.

>> Alex McFarland: Love it. Love it.

>> Bert Harper: I got to. I got my draw on you. You know, you would lift your hands in surrender. We're to lift our hands like our lives in surrender. And let the spirit of God, which is wind, blow us, direct us, and he will. We need to surrender to him, and he will direct our paths.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, in the, late 19th century, a preacher's daughter who was an English teacher at Wellesley College took a trip out west to Colorado. And I think about this a lot. I used to live in Colorado.

>> Bert Harper: Beautiful, beautiful state.

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, my goodness. very, very beautiful. And I know everybody listening probably is familiar with the song, if not the composer. you definitely know the song. America. The Beautiful. The lyricist was Katharine Lee Bates. She was 33 years old in 1893. And she took a trip out west on the train. And she went by Niagara Falls up there in, Williamston, New York. And Chicago, Kansas, Colorado. And she went to the top of Pike's Peak. And she said that with one ecstatic gaze across the continent. to her it was a revelation. And she said it was the most glorious scenery I ever beheld. And she began to write a poem that went through a couple of little tweaks. But basically, the poem that she first titled Pike's Peak was published in a Christian magazine. The, July 4th edition in 1893 of a magazine called the Congregationalist. And everybody will instantly recognize this. The first line of her poem says, oh, beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain. And Bert, I've stood on top of Pikes Peak. And I know that it's beautiful.

>> Bert Harper: Beautiful sight.

>> Alex McFarland: Every time you go to the top of Pikes Peak, 14,110ft above sea level. I mean, you can see Kansas, you can see Nebraska, you can see Colorado. And I think about the fruited plain. America, America God shed his grace on thee all. right, what we want to do in this is pick out some of the scriptural allusions. Because it's full of Bible. I would submit.

A lot of kids are told that Kathryn Lee Bates was gay

But first I want to talk a little bit about, The fact. It grieves me. And I don't want to sully an otherwise happy broadcast, but, A lot of kids are told in school that, Kathryn Lee Bates, is a hero of gay history. She never got married. She was, as they used to say, a spinster. and she was a schoolteacher and a college professor. And routinely, It's just kind of a given now that she was homosexual. I vehemently disagree. I've researched this. She, Around a lot of the Ivy League schools in the Upper Northeast. There were a lot of girls schools. There was Randolph Macon in Virginia. And, there was Wellesley College, which is a girls school. A lot of times the instructors, were single women who never got married. And, they would have, to share living expenses in twos and threes. And they were called Boston marriages or Wellesley marriages. Because these, spinster school marms would live together. And Katharine Lee Bates, lived with a roommate. one writer I said, said that, However derisive the terms may be, this did not indicate even a presumption of sexual practices. such marriages were for convenience of the unmarried women. In other words, there's no evidence whatsoever that she was gay, but yet we're told that she's a hero of LGBT history. I want to say even this. My mom, who was a public school teacher for 28 years, she, graduated from Meredith College, and she became a teacher in, Chatham County, North Carolina, when she, in 57, began to date my dad. and then they got married. In 58, she had to go to the school board for permission to start dating. And she was a single woman. She was a public school teacher teaching first grade in, a place, in Chatham county. And even up into the middle part of the 20th century, you know, because being a moral role model was such a key thing of education. My mom tells how she had to go to get permission that she's going to begin seeing a young man. And they got engaged and got married. They had to keep it on the up and up. My point is this. The idea that, just because people were single in the 19th century and just because they had to get a roommate to make the rent money, suddenly they're all gay. That's false. And she was a preacher's daughter, no less.

>> Bert Harper: Three of my elementary school teachers, first grade through sixth grade, three of them were single and, you know, Miss. Miss. The other three were married, but three of mine. And it was, I would say, not unusual even in the 1950s and early 1960s for many of the school teachers to be single. And, yes, to make ends meet, they would have a house together. It was in no means. All three of these teachers that I had, they were active in their local church. Matter of fact, two of them were in the same church that I, came to when I was saved as a 12 year old boy. And so that's called twisted history.

>> Alex McFarland: Just like revisionists.

>> Bert Harper: Revisionists. That's what they've tried to do.

The song has history and scripture. Um, the very famous line. Happy birthday, America

Well, let's get on to this, song, Alex, because there's four different, I guess, segments to it. And does each one of them have some allusions in each segment?

>> Alex McFarland: They really do. The song has history and scripture. Now let me give a little bit of history. the very famous line. Oh, beautiful. For pilgrim feet whose stern, impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom Beat across the wilderness. America, America God mend thine every flaw Confirm thy soul in self control thy liberty in law. Okay, the history there, I guess there's an allusion to, the Puritan, you know, the stern, impassioned stress. Not that the Puritans were all doom and gloomy, but they had, what historian Rodney Stark calls the iron protestant work ethic. But think about this. the history. A thoroughfare for freedom beat across the wilderness. That's a reference to the westward expansion. They went across the continent. Sure, there was the land rush and all that, but do you know largely why the colonists fanned out across the continent? It was for missions. I read in one history book I was working on this, Bert, that it said, when the railroads finally made it west, what already was there were the Methodist preachers, the Methodist.

>> Bert Harper: Circuit riders, they preceded everyone else except maybe the buffalo hunters. They were there, weren't they?

>> Alex McFarland: They were. And it was really almost, kind of funny. It said as the railroads, because there were wealthy eastern financiers, that, you know, the railroad was an economic thing. It said whenever they would cut through the woods and they would come to a clearing, they trying to put the railroad through. Whenever, they found a clearing, they knew up ahead would be Methodists who had already long been there.

>> Bert Harper: That's awesome.

>> Alex McFarland: They beat this thoroughfare across continent. But the very famous line, God shed his grace on thee. Okay, from America the beautiful. That's directly from Psalm 45, verse 2. This says, God's grace is shed abroad into our lips, poured into our lips. So we look at our country. Yes, God has poured his grace on us, hasn't he?

>> Bert Harper: He has. And it's been demonstrated in each generation. Not that any of us deserve grace, you know, God's unmerited favor. It is true, Alex, that, he has given us the grace that needs to be saved, but grace for our country to even exist.

>> Alex McFarland: Happy birthday, America. Stay tuned, everybody.

American family radio network partners with preborn to introduce pregnant women to babies

This is exploring the word on the American family radio network. We're back with more after this brief break.

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Alex and Bird discuss songs with Biblical significance on American Family Radio

>> Jeff Chamblee: Now back to the Bible study with Alex and Bert. You're listening to Exploring the Word on American Family Radio. American Family Radio.

>> Bert Harper: American Family.

>> Alex McFarland: Let the power of your words dwell here Richly changing the ways that I see. Fill me with otherly wisdom Plant me deep like a tree by the.

>> Bert Harper: Happy Independence Day. July 4, 1776 will be a day that we celebrate and continue to celebrate even to today. This is Alex and Bird, and we're not taking phone calls in this segment today. This is a pre record. And so we're looking at America the Beautiful. We're looking at the lyrics that have historical, historical significance. But many of them have scriptural significance as well, don't they, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: They really do. They really do. Before the break, we were talking about the reference to Psalm 45. Two in the line, God shed his grace on thee. from sea to shining sea, and crown thy good with brotherhood. From sea to shining sea. Really? a reference to Habakkuk. This says the knowledge of the earth will. The knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. There was this vision, and you read this in the Founders Manifest Destiny. And you know, they talk about a city on a hill that could not be hid, which is from Jesus sermon.

>> Bert Harper: You mean that's not from Ronald Reagan?

>> Alex McFarland: No, Reagan.

>> Bert Harper: That was, trying to be humorous out of it.

>> Alex McFarland: Exactly. But from sea to shining sea. The manifest destiny. Destiny that we would be that light of righteousness and liberty to the world and ultimately. And the birth of America portends the day one day when. Yes, from sea to shining sea. The knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.

>> Bert Harper: Well, let me say this while we're at it, not along with this. When I saw sea to shining sea, it made me think of an author, Peter Marshall Jr. He wrote these books, and I am telling you, get them all. if you see Peter Marshall, his father was a senator, but he came along and was a great author. I met him and he and I became. Yeah, he came to our church and we were able to talk and share, you know, how much I love history. And I was like a puppy dog. Following him around. I said, tell me more and more and more. And if you can get any of those books, they will enrich your life.

>> Alex McFarland: The light and the glory.

>> Bert Harper: And then from sea to shining sea.

>> Alex McFarland: From sea to shining sea. I remember it was an epiphany when I read that book as a young Christian. And the subtitle of the Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall. Did God have a divine plan for America? The answer is yes. Now it goes on. And it says, O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife, who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life. Hosea 6:6. What does God require to love mercy? now it goes on. America, America. And her song quotes Revelation 3:18. May God thy gold refine. I counsel thee to buy gold from me refined in the fire. See, the whole idea. And you know the song, it says, Well, I'm trying to think of that hymn where it talks about, the fire will not hurt thee. I only design thy dross to remove thy gold to refine. Do you remember that?

>> Bert Harper: I do.

>> Alex McFarland: How firm a foundation. Okay, Katharine Lee Bates quotes that very same verse, Revelation 3:18, about the fire being refined till all success be nobleness. In other words, not just monetary gain and every gain divine. Okay, mark 8:36. Jesus says, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul? All right, the true gain. The true, as Proverbs says, I, will teach you equity. The true value of something is not the material or the carnal gains which die away, but the holy gain, eternal, godly gains. that line is a reference to the mark 8:36.

>> Bert Harper: And I couldn't help but see the word nobleness and think about a royal priesthood, you know, a glorious nation, which every bit of that has the idea of noble service to him. Again, the illusion is there, at least. It made me think of that, Alex. Exactly. And so she knew the greatness of America was in that nobleness that we've shown, which comes from a relationship with God.

>> Alex McFarland: And it's really a prayer. Now think about this, folks, and if you're just tuning in, this is exploring the Word on Independence Day. Bert and I are talking about the biblical references in America the Beautiful by Katharine Lee Bates. America, America. God mend thine every flaw. Confirm thy soul in self control.

>> Bert Harper: Let me see. Let me try.

>> Alex McFarland: Help me out, Pastor.

>> Bert Harper: Pastor does sound like a fruit of the Spirit somewhere in there, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Exactly.

Song is saturated with scripture and millions of Americans don't realize it

Is it Exactly? In Galatians 5, 22, 23, the fruits of the spirit, Love, joy, peace, self control. Isn't that something? Thy liberty in law. Okay, James 1:25 talks about the one who looks into the person, perfect law, the law of liberty. this line, thy liberty in law. I really think millions of Americans don't realize how this song is so saturated with scripture. It's a line right out of James 1, but time fleets away.

Alex Martin: Under the freedoms that we've had with the Declaration of Independence

And I want to talk about, something very beautiful. you and I have taught through the book of Revelation. And you know, one of the great themes of the Book of Revelation is that the fallen sinful world systems will one day be, brought under the kingship of Jesus and his heavenly kingdom will be ushered in and the evil rulers of this world will be subjugated, supplanted by the righteous ruler, Jesus Christ. And it talks about the, the foundations of the heavenly city, Jasper and Chalcedon and streets of gold. But it also talks about alabaster, in the Book of Revelation and in the Old Testament as well, the building of the temple. one of the building materials of the ancient Jewish temple and one of the building materials of the city of God, as Augustine would say, is alabaster. Now read that lyric.

>> Bert Harper: O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years thine alabaster cities gleam.

>> Alex McFarland: What a lion undimmed by human tears. Now do you Remember in Revelation 21:4 speaking of the alabaster heavenly city that all born again believers will one day inhabit, it says, there will be no more tears. Now look, I know America is not our ultimate eternal home. Heaven is. Let us just say this. If you've never experienced Independence Day, through being born again, then you can't even begin to understand freedom and liberty and just deliverance until you've experienced not just the freedom of being a citizen, but the liberty of being a Christian.

>> Bert Harper: You know, having a dual citizenship like some people do. They'll be England and America, Canada in America, believers, we're dualed citizenship. And our citizenship higher is that of heaven. Now here's what it is. Christian. Under the freedoms that we've had with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, Christian freedom has been an asset. It was a fruit from m God that he gave us this. And it's in no way contradictory. And again, throwing a little, hopefully no confusion. There's religions that just is not, they're not compatible to the United States of America and the freedoms of that we have, but the freedoms that we have in America as Christians, that's the tree from which God gave them and here is secularists and Islamists that are doing their best to say, oh, no, but that's the freedom came by the way of the fruit of righteousness through Jesus Christ to his people.

>> Alex McFarland: Exactly. Now, folks, maybe this would be the most important few moments of the program. and let me just say this. if you want what we've got, you have to tolerate what gave us what we have.

>> Bert Harper: Say that one more time.

>> Alex McFarland: If you want what we've got, what do we have? We have the freest, most prosperous, safest nation in history. Okay, we do. Freest, most prosperous, affluent, safest. you've got opportunity. You can, if you're willing to say your prayers, live morally and work hard, you can be whatever you want to be. Bert. I was in, Colorado a month ago with a dear Christian couple, stayed in their home. They had been missionaries. At 53, the wife, decided she wanted to be a lawyer and fight for religious freedom. And they are not a people of means. They've been missionaries. She prayed, she worked hard, and she, at about 57, 58, finished her law degree, passed the board, and knocking on the door of 60 years old, is just now becoming a lawyer, fighting for religious freedom. My point is, don't set limits on yourself. Don't say I'm too old. Don't say I've waited too long. Look, if you'll say your prayers, live right, work hard, God in America will let you be whatever you want to become. But if you want what we've got, you've got to tolerate what gave us what we have.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, expand on what gave us this, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Christianity, the Ten Commandments, belief in morality. So quickly somebody will say, well, what about Muslims? They want to live under Sharia law. Okay, here's the thing. If you want to be gay, atheist or Muslim, you can do that. But what we can't let any group do, we cannot let you tear down and dismantle the backdrop, the freedom that we have that gives you the liberty to walk around safely as a non believer, as a non heterosexual, as a non Christian. can Muslims live in America? Of course. But what we can't let them do is dismantle the Christian Judeo framework that gave us our Constitution. And see, that's a very fine distinction very few people seem to grasp these days.

>> Bert Harper: has it been because it's been over 200 years and they cannot in history has not been taught sufficiently for them to see from the cocoon which this butterfly has come.

>> Alex McFarland: well said, well said. And a lot of people nowadays are using the First Amendment to really undermine the Constitution. First Amendment says that you've got freedom of speech, freedom of religious expression and conviction. But what that doesn't mean that you have the freedom to undermine, subvert, and essentially dismantle the US Constitution. And maybe we'll elaborate more on that another day. we are a pluralistic country in the sense you can believe whatever you want to believe. You can believe truth, or you can believe a myth. But what pluralism did not mean, in the minds of the founders, although it definitely has been, twisted to mean that in the minds of many liberal professors, it's a pluralism that amounts to anarchy. in their mind, we can do whatever we want to do. No rules, no boundaries, no norms. And that is going to be our undoing. And, folks, I would say this two things. We're running out of time. But listen to this. This is Independence Day. But for you, maybe God wants it to be a different sort of Independence Day. That you find your liberation from sin today could be your true, not just birthday of citizenship, but your spiritual birthday. And Bert, how could somebody, if today they want to be set free of sin and delivered of the chains, not just of slavery, but of the bondage of being lost and in darkness in Jesus I'm speaking of, how can today be Independence Day?

>> Bert Harper: Independence Day is for the believer, is when you come into the recognition that without God, you're nothing. Without God, your life cannot be turned around in a direction that pleases Him. It's like if you do a 360 degree turn, you're headed in the same direction that you've always been. So you've got to turn to God. You turn to him in faith and you look to him, the author and finisher of our faith. Because Jesus died on the cross and he took our place. Alex. He who knew no sin became sin. That you and I and those who are listening could be made righteous in the sight of God. I was reading Hebrews earlier, and it says after he had finished his work, he sat down at the right hand of the Father on high to make intercession for those of us. If you need a friend, and you do, that's connected with God the Father, and you do, none other than Jesus Christ will do. There's no preacher, no priest, no professor, nothing, except through, Jesus Christ. And you do it by, saying it's really not what you say, it's what you do in your heart. By the heart, I mean your innermost being, your mind, your will and emotions and you recognize your lostness and you come to Christ and say, oh, God, I am a sinner. I am lost. I have nothing to offer you that's worthy of anything. But you sent your son to die in my place. I receive him into my life as Lord and savior. Lord, come into my life and save me.

Today could be the greatest independence day of all

And when you say that and mean it, listen. The whole world has turned upside down. Do you remember that passage in the Book of Acts? These men who have turned the world upside down has come here.

>> Alex McFarland: Yes.

>> Bert Harper: The reason their world. They had turned the world upside down is because their world had been turned upside down. Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Exactly. Exactly. So today, maybe it's time that you. If you are a Christian, you. Why don't you thank God for the freedom you've got as a forgiven, blood bought, cleansed child of God. But if you're not sure, and we ask you this question. If you were to die today, do you know for certain that you would go to heaven? Here's, how you can be sure. You just pray in your heart, from your heart to God, and say, lord, I'm sorry for my sins. Lord, I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. He died on the cross for me, and I believe that. And I know that he paid for my sins. And I'm trusting you. Lord, save my soul. Lord, forgive me. Make me your child. Help me to live for you. If you'll pray that and mean it. God promises. The one who comes to him, he will receive. And today, in that sense, for you, could be the greatest independence day of all.

>> Bert Harper: It's good to have two independence days, just like we have two birthdays. The day I was born. But the day I was born again.

>> Alex McFarland: If the Son sets you free, you are free. Indeed.

>> Bert Harper: Indeed. That's pretty good freedom.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, you know those alabaster cities of heaven that Katharine Lee Bates wrote about? They'll be yours if you're a follower of Christ. But until then, let's try to polish up the alabaster down here.

>> Bert Harper: Well, we have to. And we pray that you've had a great. And are, continuing to have a great Independence Day. And we hope that you will share your joy with others. That you don't just keep it to yourself. And in this day, be thankful and faithful to the God who has made us and has given our nation the United States of America. Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word today.

>> Alex McFarland: The views and opinions expressed in this.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Broadcast do not necessarily reflect those of.

>> Alex McFarland: The American Family association or. Or American Family Radio.