Righteousness Exalts a Nation, The Liberties of a Nation, The Liberty Enjoyed by the People, No King but King Jesus, Eternal Rewards and Crowns, My Best Evangelism Tool, and "He Will Be"
In This Issue... Proverbs 14:34, Quotes by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, Observations by Bob Russell, Randy Alcorn, and Jordan Raynor, Song by CityAlight, James Ferguson, and Jaywan Maxwell
Photo by Ernie Journeys on Unsplash
Welcome to this issue of one24worship - Because worship is a daily lifestyle, one 24-hour day at a time, not just a weekly event.
The one24worship Newsletter is a weekly offering of inspiration, ideas, and insights landing in your email inbox every Thursday... 1-2-4: one verse/passage, two quotes, and four observations at a time.
INDEPENDENCE DAY!
This past Sunday morning, June 29th, in anticipation of Independence Day, our choir at church presented patriotic selections from the GMA nominated collection, Sweet Freedom’s Song, created, arranged, and orchestrated by Russell Mauldin.
One of the narrations, written by Sue C. Smith, contained the following…
“We are not a perfect country, and this is not a perfect world. […] But if we are people who truly believe in God’s power, who trust His Sovereignty, who are convinced of His goodness, what should we do when life goes wrong, when sorrows come, when enemies threaten? 2 Chronicles 7:14 gives us God’s instructions to follow.”
Then the choir sang through a familiar and stirring rendition of this verse…
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV
Tomorrow, the United States will celebrate its 249th Independence Day, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Even though the vote occurred on July 2nd, the formal signing took place on July 4th, making it the official date for the holiday.1
On the eve of this year’s celebration, I still believe that the words below are just as true and relevant as they were 249 years ago when the document that they were written upon was signed by 56 members of the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”2
Happy Independence Day!
Enjoy!
David
ONE VERSE
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Proverbs 14:34 ESV
TWO QUOTES
Thomas Jefferson
“And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure if we have lost the only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, 1832
[Source: Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, by Thomas Jefferson, 1832, Query XVIII, p. 170 (accessed Wednesday, July 2, 2025)]
George Washington
“The liberty enjoyed by the people of these states of worshipping almighty God agreeable to their consciences is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights.” George Washington, New York, 1789
[Source: George Washington, The Quotable George Washington: The Wisdom of an American Patriot, (Complied and Edited by Stephen E. Lucas, Published by Madison House Publishers, Inc., (currently out of print), © 1999, page 81.)]
FOUR OBSERVATIONS
1. “No King but King Jesus” A Declaration Worth Remembering This July 4th - by Bob Russell at BobRussell.org
“Some fear crossing into ‘Christian nationalism.’ I’m more concerned about Christian amnesia—forgetting where we came from and failing to give thanks for the blessings we’ve received. Bob Russell
Article Excerpt: “This Fourth of July, we would do well to remember that America’s spiritual heritage is worth celebrating. Our Founders didn’t create a theocracy, but they did build this country on Judeo-Christian principles—and we are still reaping the benefits.” 👉 Read More…
2. Why Should We Care about Eternal Rewards and Crowns, Since We’ll Cast Them at Jesus’s Feet Anyway? - by Randy Alcorn at EPM.org
“Although God’s glory is the highest reason for any action, Scripture sees no contradiction between God’s eternal glory and our eternal good.” Randy Alcorn
Article Excerpt: “Notice that Paul speaks not of a glory achieved for Christ but ‘for us.’ Likewise, Jesus didn’t say, ‘Store up for me treasures in heaven’; he said, ‘Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven’ (Matthew 6:20, italics mine). Of course, only Christ will be honored as the object of our worship in Heaven. We will gladly lay our crowns, our rewards, before His throne, so He receives the ultimate glory (Revelation 4:10-11). Yet Scripture teaches that we will not only behold His glory but also participate in it (Romans 8:18-19).” 👉 Read More…
3. Why My Rat-infested Hyundai Might Be My Best Evangelism Tool - by Jordan Raynor at JordanRaynor.com
“Jesus said, ‘You cannot serve both God and money.’ How you spend reveals who you serve—both to you and your coworkers. Your budget may be your boldest witness.” Jordan Raynor
Article Excerpt: “Jesus isn’t asking us to be generous because he needs something but because we do. Namely, to be closer to the heart of God. And that’s harder to do when you’re flush with cash. Because when we have far more than our ‘daily bread,’ it’s harder to rely on the Bread Giver.” 👉 Read More…
4. SONG “He Will Be (Live)” by CityAlight, James Ferguson and Jaywan Maxwell
CHORUS
CHO “Worthy He has been, worthy He will be / Crowned in endless praise all earth and heaven sing / Holy is the Lord who reigns in majesty / Worthy He has been, worthy He will be!”
Words and Music by James Ferguson and Jaywan Maxwell
© 2025 CityAlight Music/APRA (adm at IntegratedRights .com)
Until next week,
David Guion
P.S.
Sermon Notes (250629) on IG
“Tell me who you’re with and I’ll tell you who you are.” Brother Butch Ikels quoting the late Abel Garcia
Disclosure
No affiliate links are contained in this newsletter.
https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/american_originals/declarat.html (accessed Wednesday, July 2, 2025)
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration (accessed Wednesday, July 2, 2025)