We sing, “God bless America."

We pray for God to continue to bless this great country of ours.

And, God has blessed America. He continues to bless America. God has blessed America above all other countries in the world. America is the richest and most powerful nation upon the face of the earth.

It is God who has blessed America. We have not done it ourselves. It is not by our own wisdom or power that we are blessed. It is not because of any one individual or group of individuals that we are blessed. It is God who Messes. It is God that raises up nations 'to do his will. All through the Bible this has been true. He raised up Egypt for a purpose, and the same was true of Neo Babylonian Empire, the Medo Persian Empire, the Macedonian Empire, the great Roman Empire, and many other lesser kingdoms too numerous to mention. A Little over two hundred years ago, God through His providence Laid the foundation for a great nation upon the shores of this Western Hemisphere. A demo­cratic nation, a free nation.

Why has God blessed America? Why has God raised up a nation so strong? I believe that it has been a part of the providence of God.

This nation, the United States of America, has been a Messing to the world. For many long years it has been the breadbasket of the world. What would have happened to Russia when Communism collapsed, if it had not been for the U.S.A? The same can be said of many other countries of the world. As the ancient world Looked to Egypt for food and protection during the days of the Bible, the world now looks to the United States. The world also looks to this nation for leadership.

But, that is not all. I believe that God has blessed this nation of ours for another, more important reason. I believe that God has blessed this nation so that the church would be restored and preserved. The church almost ceased to exist because of the tyranny and persecution it experienced in the old world. By making war, the Muslims overran Asia and part of Europe and Africa. Chris­tianity was almost wiped out by the sword. Even in Europe, certain churches became state supported and all others were persecuted. New Testament Christianity could not flourish in such a climate.

There occurred a reformation movement upon the European continent. It was because people were dissatisfied with the state-owned and state-supported religious institutions. They had become so corrupt, that certain religious leaders sought to reform them but they failed. The result of the division and the subdivision of Christidom.

Then came the discovery of a new fertile Land which Lay far to the west across a vast ocean. And, people from all over Europe and other places sought freedom in this new Land. Many came seeking for religious freedom. The restoration movement had already begun in Scotland, Ireland, and other places, but it could not make much headway.

But, in America, where there was a guarantee of religious freedom, it did make progress. It grew and spread like wildfire. The church of Christ was restored in its New Testament simplicity, in practice and doctrine. Here the church has grown and it has sent out mis­sionaries all over the world. Here the pure and simple gospel of Christ is preached in pulpits all across the Land and over the air­waves throughout the world. This is the main reason why I believe God has blessed America.