“Although it is not a religious holiday like Christmas or Easter, for many Americans July 4th
is a time to reflect on God’s goodness to us as a nation.” (Billy Graham).

We are a nation built upon the Christian faith.

Quotes from Presidents

·        
“It would be impossible to govern rightly without God and the Bible.” (George
Washington)

·        
“My custom is to read four or five chapters of the Bible every morning immediately
after rising. It seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day. It
is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.” (John Quincy
Adams)

·        
“The reason that Christianity is the best friend of government is because
Christianity is the only religion in the world that deals with the heart.”
(Thomas Jefferson)

·        
“The Bible is the rock upon which our Republic rest.” (Andrew Jackson)

·        
“But for the Bible, we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable
for man’s welfare are to be found portrayed in it.” (Abraham Lincoln)

·        
“The foundation of our society and of our government rests so much on the teachings
of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these
teachings should cease.” (Calvin Coolidge)

Symbols of Freedom

·        
Liberty Bell - Printed on the side is a quote from Leviticus 25:10, "Proclaim
liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof."

·        
US Supreme Court building in Washington DC -  Above the entrance is a carving of Moses with
stone tablets of the 10 commandments.

·        
Declaration of Independence - "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.

The Signers of the Declaration of Independence

Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence:

·        
5 were captured by the British and tortured before they died.

·        
12 had
their homes ransacked and burned.

·        
2 lost their sons in the Revolutionary War. Another had two sons captured.

·        
9 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the war.

You will never know how much it has __________ my generation to
preserve your _________________. (John Quincy Adams)

War Time U.S. Military Deaths

1.      
Revolutionary War                    ______________

2.     
Civil War                                     ______________

3.     
World War I                                ______________

4.     
World War II                              ______________

5.     
Korean War                                ______________

6.     
Vietnam War                              ______________

7.     
Persian Gulf War                       ______________

8.    
Global War on Terrorism         ______________

A Soldier’s Story

The Battle for the Souls of Men (1 Peter 1:18-20)

1.      
There was a __________ to ______________ (1:18-19)

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the
precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (NIV, 1984)

Payment of ________________

Payment of ________________

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

God came to earth
to do the one thing he could not do in heaven. Die.(Ken Gire)

2.     
There
was a ________ to __________ (1:20a)

“He was chosen before the creation of the world… (NIV,
1984)

__________________Plan

__________________Plan

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

We need people of the cross, with the  ___________of the cross, bearing the  ___________ of the cross.

(Vance Havner)

3.     
There
were People to Free (1:20b)

“… but was revealed in these last times for your sake.”

(NIV, 1984)

Empty __________________

Endless __________________

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2
Peter 3:9)

“Jesus came into the world as a man to die upon the cross to bear the penalty of our sin. All of
our sinfulness was placed on Him. God in His mercy accepts the atoning death of
His Son as payment for our sins–past, present, and future. We are justified
(proclaimed not guilty) in the eyes of God because Jesus died in our place.
Therefore, we are free from sin’s power. We are free to be all that God has
planned for us to be.” (Charles Stanley) 

Ready to take your Next Step?

·        
Go by the Next Steps area today after the service.

·        
Use your phone and the tap card on the seat back in front of you to go to the Next Steps tab.

·        
Fill out a Connect Card and drop it in the offering box.

·        
Go to FBCFM.COM and click “Next Steps.”