Freedom, Faith & Fourth of July

First to fight for the right and to build it. And the RB But Proud of all we have done fighting till the battle's won, and the Army goes falling along. And it's high, high, hey, the army's on its way.

Now the game is on its own. Oh, wherever we go, you'll always know that the Army Eagles rolling along. I can't hide it, I can hold it in the world. A daily program powered by the Truth Network. This is kind of a great thing, and I'll tell you what.

Where pop culture, current events, and theology all come together. Speak your mind. And now, here's today's Truth Talk Live host. Freedom. Independence.

The 4th of July. It means all sorts of things, and it may mean all sorts of things to you, your family. It certainly stirs your heart, especially certain songs. If you're like us, that's Dr. Carl.

Carson, Dr. Date, the word Carson, myself.

So, the question today is: what patriotic hymn or song? Right? Brings you to tears because of what it means to your family, to your faith. You know, who in your life perhaps modeled what it meant to live for God and country? Right.

And maybe, like many of us, you were Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, and you know, those things were. Like, just gigantic to your youth. And so, those songs, like, they jump out at you and they bring something. That serves your heart because your heart responds to music, right, Doc? Absolutely.

And on the fourth, you can't help but want to hear. I'm hoping to hear. God bless the USA. At some point today, Lee Greenwood. God bless the USA.

I think. It brings you to tears as you just think about our country and how. Our God has done so many things through the centuries to bring this country to a place where we enjoy freedom. Liberty, but we're not perfect. It's that reminder, just like our salvation, our country still is being perfected.

And we're a work in progress, and we've had so many blessings, but we're desiring more. And so, yeah, songs just bring that stirs the heart.

So, your heart's stirred. You need to call, right? 866-348-7884 is a number to call in and share. We have got all these lines open that we would love to hear, right? What does that stir up in your heart?

866-348-7884. For me, you know, my dad. when I think about who modeled God and country, my father was very much and and he loved music. In fact, you may not know this, but at one point in my father's life he was a worship leader at the church we attended. I did not know that.

He loved music. And so we had a Magnavox back then that, you know, stereos with stacked records on it. It would hit the thing and all the records would come down. And he would put on the, on the 4th of July or any patriotic holiday, I can assure you that at about the crack of dawn, he would load that bad boy up. And believe me, it would play the whole house.

And it would be, I can guarantee you, the Battle Hymn of the Republic would be on the lineup because it was one of his favorite songs. And I can hear it like waking up to that. And you would think as a kid that would be disturbing, but it was anything but that. It was that my dad Was in that spirit of God and country, and that he wanted to feel the 4th of July. He didn't want to just, you know.

Go through the motions of the picnic or whatever. He wanted to feel. You know, I suppose what they felt on July 4th, you know, 1776. And you know, on that day they they had a bonfire. And uh They burned the king's portrait.

Really? We're supposed to have bonfires on the 4th of July. I have never heard that. Yes.

So, did they throw darts at it first, or did they just burst? I think they just pulled that thing down. And later, it was John Adams that wrote to his wife that he would hope that we would have big parades and this celebration and with the Christianity as part of this, that they prayed at the first Congress. And so these songs, they're patriotic songs that tell us about America the beautiful, God shed his grace on us. He gave us what we don't deserve.

So, yeah.

So, what song, you know, the story that went with it, or the person that, you know, how would it that might be that someone in your family served, you know, in the Army? You know, I know lots of people when they heard that theme right there, they begin to tear up because they. Served and they served along a lot of beside a lot of people that didn't come home, you know, or this as the case may be, that freedom that we all are experiencing, right, to do this broadcast and for you to call in today, you know. it came at quite a cost. 866-348-7884 is a number to call in and share.

866-348-7884. And you know, I love That So many churches, they do a big 4th of July, right? And trying to keep that idea that. There really, from God's perspective, there's no separation between church and state. That's exactly right.

We need God in our government. We don't need government in our church, but we need God in our government. And when you think of the songs as I grew up, My country tis of thee. Sweet land of liberty of thee I sing. From where my fathers died and the pilgrim's pride, and from every mountainside, let freedom ring.

I remember singing that around the 4th of July. And my country tis of thee. And I've been posting this week on my Facebook the different hymns and just Throwing it out there for people to see, and one person said they wish this would be our national anthem. That this song really captivates what we are about. This is a country that God has made happen.

Now, we need callers, we need to hear from our listeners right now their thoughts about what song stirs their heart. I like your words, brings you to tears. Right. Right? Or maybe there was a moment on a a particular holiday that you can remember, a patriotic holiday, you know, where you really felt God reached down and touched you to bring him closer to himself as clearly he shed his grace on me.

I mean, if you missed that, I don't know what to say. I mean, oh, what amazing peace we've certainly experienced to a great extent. In our lifetime here, because of the service of so many, because of how God has shed His grace. But I don't think we have, you know, the recent events in Israel when Tammy and I were in a bomb shelter about a month ago, you know, we realized: wow, this is a different thing. And You know, air-ride signs going off, you know, fairly regularly, and you think about, oh my word, you know, we didn't.

We didn't experience all that so many countries have experienced, you know, since the Civil War, anyway. And today, as we think about this week, the events of this week of Gettysburg. uh was one of the battles that were fought during the Civil War was during the the week of that ended on the third, but on the fourth uh they're having to deal with all the casualties and um our country needed a a healing. and uh Gettysburg was a place that would turn the wars so that men would be set free. Really?

Yeah. Again, my ignorance.

So, does that mean the Gettysburg Address was delivered on the 4th of July? It was delivered in November when they dedicated the fields of all those soldiers. More soldiers lost their life in those three days than any other battle. Antietam was the the highest number of casualties. But Gettysburg, the three-day battle there, more casualties than American Civil War ever.

My dad took us there. Yeah, that was his kind of... My great-great-grandfather was killed there. 866-348-7884. 866-348-7884.

We know something's touching your heart with this holiday. We want to hear it. We want to hear, you know, what song we got more lined up for you. Stay tuned. Bye.

You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. What patriotic hymn or song? Brings you to tears because of what it means to your family, to your faith. You know, what touches your heart? Or who in your life modeled what it meant?

To live for God and country. We would love to hear how that touches you. 866 is the number to call in. 866-348-7884. 866-348-7884.

And we have a very special guest with us, right? Doc Scott Bowman. He's a worship leader with Thomas Road Baptist Church. In Lynchburg, Virginia. Yes, he is.

And welcome, Scott. Hey, welcome, guys. It's great to be with you. I must confess, when I heard my good friend Dwayne Parsons' voice, And brought back a lot of memories. We shared a lot of great times together, but the topic of the day's program, man, is just something I had to call in.

I had to call in. And I'm so glad you did. And as a worship leader, you know, it's so cool what churches do to. You know, obviously advanced the kingdom through understanding how God's blessed America. Yeah, that's right.

You know, our strength comes from the Lord and His provision in our life. is one that can be traced back all throughout history and certainly throughout American history. And um Yeah, he's our help through ages past. and our hope for years to come, as the old hymn says. That's a good one.

That's a good one. So, how about you, Scott? What which hymn songs, you know, touch you? Man, you know, when you were coming on the air and I heard you leading in with the salute to armed forces, oh my goodness, man, that. That stirs something within me.

You know, I didn't serve in the military, but To all the men and women who have, and then to see them with much pride stand when their branch is called always does something to me. I remember when I was in elementary school, it was actually sixth grade. We had a patriotic program. You don't see or hear a lot of that anymore, but it was a sixth grade, and they dressed me up like Uncle Sam. And I remember I have pictures to prove it, Dwayne.

But anyway, I remember singing the great song, Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let It Begin With Me. That song still resonates with me. But I must say, of all. of all the hymns, the patriotic hymns, the one That um Is right up there at the top of my favorite. It has to be America the beautiful.

Not only lyrically is it just great, melodically. Absolutely beautiful. You've heard so many artists do it over the years. Maybe none like Ray Charles. But uh Uh it is it's just it's one of my favorites of all time.

Yeah, and it you know, it's kind of you know, as an artist, I'm sure, you know, when you think about the person who God gives that melody to and they begin to work on that lyric to fit it, um you know, that's that's some and I imagine you're you're you're like me, Scott, you've had a chance to talk uh with with many people who wrote songs or you know, artists that Have a chance to do that kind of thing. It's amazing how God takes that creativity and makes something beautiful with it, doesn't he? Absolutely. And even various things inspire songwriters. America of the Beautiful.

Was written way back in 1892 by Catherine Bates, and it was actually celebrated they were celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Columbus discovering America, and she had. She had a year earlier started writing some songs with patriotic flavor. And that's when she got the. the idea was commissioned to do that. And she was actually at Pike's Peak.

When she wrote verse one of America the beautiful, standing up there at the top, just. Looking over the expanse at God's creation, and she writes, So beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain. And so songwriters get their inspirations from uh from nature, from experiences, from truth. Um And so Catherine Bates, standing up there on the top of Pike's Peak, looked out over the beauty of God's creation and was inspired to write that first verse. And I don't know, as you were saying that, it's kind of funny.

I almost tear it up because I can picture Pollyanna, actually. You remember she sang that in the movie, you know, dressed up in that costume. But she sang it with such, like, I don't know, it was just. Pure and innocent, and just absolutely beautifully. Um, and and of course, uh.

I lived a great deal of my life in Colorado. My my father was born there, and so we we we we spent a lot of time there. And at Pikes Peak, I i I can vision it like and because it it it it it is right over Um clearly all these planes. That you know, the plane comes up to the mountain right there and everybody sees Pikes Peak.

So if you're up there, you're out looking over that plane. But another thing that you're look out looking over, if you happen to be at Pikes Peak, is it's right over Colorado Springs in the Air Force Academy. Sits there beautifully, nestled up against the mountain. I don't know if it was there in 1892 because everyone wrote were a lot of planes flying around back then. When North Carolina was needed so that we could have the Air Force Academy, but that's right.

Different kinds of planes, a different kind of planes she wrote about, right? Yeah. And you know what? Like a lot of songwriters, like a lot of songwriters, they'll have an inspiration. They'll write a little bit, and sometimes they finish.

Many times they put a lyric in their pocket And it may be months, if not years, before they. They open it back up. And that was actually the case with. With America the Beautiful. It was a little later in the year, that same year, 1893, it was.

When um Uh Ms. Bates was actually visiting the World Fair that had been going on several years there in Chicago. And part of that beautiful exhibition was just the incredible buildings, the structures that had been erected there. And So that that Phrase in actually verse 4 when she says, Thine alabaster's cities gleam, undimmed by human tears, was actually, she was inspired by what she was seeing at the hands of mankind, but always had just a way of like bringing the listener, bringing the singer, the reader back to the truth that. It's God who is the giver of all good and perfect things.

And may His blessings may God, our gold, refine till all success be nobleness, and every gain divine at the hand of the Lord.

So just Just a beautiful lyricist. And um And then a writer of melody. I mean, it is just. It is just a gorgeous song. And um I remember usually it's about every Memorial Day at our church here at Thomas Road.

At some point during the service, I'm going to sing verse three. Which um I think it's just it maybe it's even a forgotten lyric of the song, but oh beautiful for heroes proved. in liberating strife who more than self their country loved. And mercy more than life. What a beautiful picture of sacrifice of the men and women.

who who shed their blood and gave their life for the freedom of our country While at the same time remembering it was the bloodshed of one man, Jesus. Who bought our freedom for all eternity? That is absolutely beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. So you can see.

The way things touch us.

So we need your calls. We've got more with Scott. We got more with Dr. Carson. But in the meantime, you know, you're warmed up now.

Call us: 866-348-7884. We'd love to hear your 4th of July. Uh memory, 866-348-7884. We'll be right back. Bye.

You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. From the halls of Bondazula to the shores of Tripoli, we fight our country's battles in the air, on land and sea. First to fight for right and freedom and to keep our honor clean. We are proud to claim the title of the country. What patriotic hymn or song brings you to tears because of what it means to your family, your faith?

You know, maybe you know something about the history.

Well, wow, I would just.

So exciting. I love him histories and music history and those kind of things. What grabs you? 866-348-7884. 866-348-7884.

Just so honored to have with us Scott Bowman, the worship leader at Thomas Road. And I got to tell you, Scott, I love, love, love the history of. How songs came to be, especially things obviously that are familiar to us. I interviewed the Smallbone brothers one time, you know, king and country, and I asked them about that creative process. And what they told me, you know, I'll never forget, because they were like, Because I was like, well, so how do you guys choose what's going to be the next song?

Or what does he say? He goes, Robbie, we don't choose the song, it chooses us. Yes.

Oh wow. That's good. And they said then, you know, God kind of gives us the song, and then we get to work within what He gave us, is just an honor. Um and I You know, that just grabs me and it sounds like that was the case with America of the Beautiful. And there's no doubt, right?

That these great, great songs that touch our heart touch our heart because it's really God trying to get to us, right? That's exactly right. I think a great songwriter. Has a craft and a skill of writing songs, but man, there's just something about. That personal touch, that life experience.

or that nature, the beauty of God observed That just, I think, brings out a library. Uh amongst songwriters that is just so descriptive. And and maybe you know, I I think music in general has a way of giving language to our tiers. To our feelings, to our emotions, times when we just don't know quite how to say it. You know, it's kind of like in the scripture when the Bible talks about.

When we try to pray, but we just don't have the words to pray, and the Holy Spirit just does that for us to the Father. I think songs, beautiful songs, can give us language for our emotions that we just don't know how to express. And great songwriters just have a way of helping us with that. I think of Lee Greenwood with God Bless the USA. I'll stand with you.

That that moment When when that comes that and people are sitting And that is sung and I'll stand next to you. And all of a sudden, everybody starts standing up. They they sang it this past year down at Charlotte for the race, the Charlotte 600, the Coca-Cola 600. And everybody all of a sudden is standing. It doesn't matter who's beside you, you're realizing I'm standing by somebody.

that I will stand beside to defend this great nation. And it just I got chills right now just thinking about what you just said, that they they write something that causes you. I want people in front of me, beside me, right and left behind me to know I'll stand with you to defend this nation. Yeah, and Lee Greenwood did such a beautiful job right at the beginning of that song of uniting the nation, uniting cultures. uniting um Okay.

You know, everything from the lakes of Minnesota. I mean, he kind of just brings all of the United States together, like, hey, we are one people, and we'll proudly stand up next to you and defend this great nation and call her the land of the free and the home of the brave. Mm. We can tell Dr. Carson He loves that.

It's so fun, you know? It it really is to just to get behind some of these songs. Are there other ones that you know a little bit of the history uh about that jump out at you, Scott? Oh, wow, man.

Well, you know, going back to America, the beautiful. Um doctor Carson referenced this just a few moments ago, but Uh way back in um America the Beautiful, along with my country Tiffany that doctor Carson was referencing. They were in the running. They were contenders to be considered our national anthem. And it was in nineteen thirty one when President Hoover Signed in the law, you know, the Star Spangled Banner would be our national anthem.

So there are two great, great songs with. Written history. Um My country tizz of the if you allow my musical nerd to come out here, you know please, we would love it. It's it's in three, four, and which of course the Star Spangled Banner is as well, right? But I think what makes America the beautiful just so melodically gorgeous Is it's in four four signature, and uh there were many Americans when when uh the Star Spangled Banner was declared as the national anthem that were quite upset because they felt that America the beautiful.

was um should have been chosen, and one of their reasons was that it was just a lot easier to sing. And it's just a wonderful expression of our Creator God, the beauty of his creation, the advancements of mankind, but that subtle reminder that it's God's Choosing to bless our nation that's brought us to where we are. You know, there's a lot of songs that have been written about our country, about patriotism, especially over in the country music genre, you know. Uh a lot of great Songs there, and man, you know, Neil Diamond's America is home. That's always a great one to me.

Yeah, me too. I love that the way that I saw the movie, you know, and when that comes up at the end and he comes on stage, the jazz singer was at the movie, the jazz singer, yeah, yeah. I was a big Neil Diamond fan anyway, so Listen, right? I am too. There's some but there's you know, there's some great uh Oh.

great songs, country, other genres, you know, and it just Yeah, just Gorgeous, beautiful music like the Stars and Stripes Forever, you know, John Phillips Sousa. You've got to have that on the fourth. You've got to have stars and stripes. Boston Pops is what I always think of. Yeah, that was on my dad's stack of records, I can assure you.

That Magnavox, man, that thing was tuned ready to go every 4th of July. And, you know, those are sweet memories of, you know, as a child, when you're getting that stuff, it's like getting trained up in that these things are important and they touch your heart as a kid, right? As you remember from being dressed up as Uncle Sam. How about you, Doc? What did you do?

Oh, go ahead, Scott. No, that's right. You know, I think even Scripture talks about the importance of. Passing things down from generation to generation. I know when Joshua, Joshua crossed the river there.

Uh he instructed, hey, pick up twelve stones and create this uh the you know this altar to remember so that when our children and our grandchildren walk by and say, What's this for?

Well, let me tell you the story about when God parted the sea for us. And I think that it's critical that we continue to tell the stories. uh to our children and to our to our grandchildren Otherwise, I think patriotism will just continue to fade. And, you know, God help us if that ever happens. Oh, yeah.

When you think about it, Doc, you know, Moses may have been one of the original worship leaders. Him and his sister Miriam, right? They're both 15. They're singing like crazy. But, you know, I was studying one Sunday as I was thinking about what a remarkable thing.

Hannah, Hannah had a song. Hannah had a song. And in that song, she's the first person to really. that that uh delineates that the Messiah you know, would be the horn of of that God would exalt. at the end of the last verse of her song.

And so clearly that's coming from Hannah's heart, which she had to be wholehearted, and she was given the absolute honor. I mean, can you imagine? Being the mother of the man that would anoint King David. Yeah. Um It's amazing.

Yeah, in addition to my role here at the church. I also have the privilege of teaching over in the School of Music at Liberty University and helping with All the worship leading that goes on over there as well. And we've got some great, great young.

songwriters, and it's interesting that you should mention Hannah, one of them. Wrote a beautiful song that we've actually recorded and released called Hannah's Prayer. And it's kind of a Uh you know more more of a Uh modern ballads, so to speak, of that beautiful you know, First Samuel chapter two passage. Oh, you know what's really neat about that, Scott, is about a month ago I was in Israel and we had the privilege of, not too many people get to go to Shiloh where Hannah prayed that prayer. But it's very much, it's in the occupied West Bank, but I got to go there and see the red heifers while I was there.

But beautifully, where the tabernacle sat, and it's pretty obvious when you're up. Have you been there, Doc? No.

So when you're up on that in Shiloh, you can see, unlike the Temple Mound, okay, this is exactly where the tabernacle was, and this is kind of exactly where that would have been. And they have a beautiful wall there, and on that wall is Hannah's prayer. Mm. And they offered for everybody, like especially if you're Baron or whatever. And we all just you know, they gave us some time to actually pray Hannah's prayer right there.

Really a beautiful, amazing Uh Thing that really would, you know, those kind of things just touch your heart, right? I liked what you said, Scott, about the stones of remembrance.

Well, today we have these are songs of remembrance to take us back. And Isaiah 51, verse 1, listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord, look to the rock from which you were hewn. Look back. And 4th of July gives us a chance to look back. Where did we come from?

And these songs are helping us to remember where we came from and how we're going to move forward because it's only with his good hand of grace do we move forward. May the fourth be with you. Amen. Amen. Doing that, Scott, we got another caller.

We need you: 866-348-7884. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Off we go into the wild blue yonder, flying high into the sun. Here it comes, into me our thunder, and a voice give a gun. Down we die, standing a fame from thunder.

What patriotic hymn or song? It brings you to tears because of what it meant to you, your family, your faith. We've had so much fun today. Thinking about the 4th of July and music and how these things touch our hearts, our history, in all sorts of really, really cool ways. We still have time to get your call in, 866-348-7884.

Again, just having so much fun with Scott Bullman, the worship leader at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. We're very good friends, of course, with our very own Dr. Date, the word Carson. And Dr. Carson, as you leave church, now ask your question exactly.

Go ahead. Go for it.

Well, Scott, as we are. thinking about this Fourth of July weekend now, um What song, and I'm thinking you're going to say America the Beautiful, but what song should worship leaders really be focused on this Sunday to make sure we do stir those emotions and look back to the rock from which we were hewn? What advice would you give a worship leader right now? I mean, that certainly would be mine. America is beautiful.

And the reason why, you know, is if you look through enity. And like, if you were to have a hymn book open right now and you see how it is categorized, it is. It is grouped by theme. America the Beautiful. pretty much kind of captures Captures the hymn book, everything from God's creation.

Into God's provision, while at the same time causing us to reflect back on the men and women who gave their life for us. I think it's one of those That um You know, sometimes Dr. Carson, A lot of worship leaders will struggle with how do I mix it? You said it so.

So well, earlier, you know, where you said we need God in our country. And our country and our church maybe not our country and our church, but we need definitely need God in our country. And so well said. And I think America of the Beautiful is one of those songs that just really Really allows a worship leader to bridge the gap, if you will.

So I'm going to stick with that one, buddy. I'm going to. At the hymn book that I'm looking at right now. Right under it, America the Beautiful. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.

Psalms 33, 12. Wow, that's so awesome. Oh, yeah. Mike is in Dayton, Ohio.

So, Mike, you're on Truth Talk Live. How are you doing, my friend? Really good, sir. You must have played the Marine Corps hymn for me. Of course.

I know. You know, it brought back a lot of memories. And so the America beautiful. me and my my family w my when I was a young kid, My dad drove up Pike's Peak in a Volkswagen bus. all the way up to the top of it.

That was a dirt road back then, too. Yeah, gravel. I think my mom prayed all the way up the up the thing. And we had to when another car come past, we had to see how close we was to the edge and Oh my. I think I still have nightmares of that going up there.

And then, not really. But when we got up to the top, my dad said, you know, this is where they made that song, America is Beautiful. I'll never forget my dad telling me that. Really? And the clouds.

Yeah. And my dad said, look at the clouds. Aren't they beautiful? And we couldn't see down below the clouds. That just brought a thought in my mind.

What was the name of the lady that. compose that song. Um Anyway, how did she get up there? She didn't take a bus. You know, whether it was a horseback or whatever, it was a ride, I'm going to tell you.

Yeah. Getting up to the top of Pike's Peak back then, that is, and what a precious memory for you, Mike.

Well, thank you to have with your dad up there on the top of that particular mountain is quite the view. It is. Catherine Bates. Catherine Bates. That's thank you, Doc.

So great memory, Mike. And I know the Marine Corps hymn, right? Yeah. There's something about once a Marine, always like, is it something like that? Always.

Yeah. Yeah, always a Marine.

Well, thank you again for your service, dear friend. And you have an amazing holiday. Oh, you too. Thank you. God bless.

God bless. Bye-bye. How about you? 866-348-7884. 866-348-7884.

You got a memory, something like, How cool is that, right? Is dad. And and and all those kind of things that that, you know, for me, it just That whole attachment, I knew it was valuable to my dad, and so it it kind of makes it valuable to you, right? Yeah. I'll tell you, Scott, when you brought up America, the beautiful...

Um My connection to that song is going to be for Amber Waves of Grain. Because as we grew up, I can almost guarantee you that the 4th of July on the Carson farm meant we were cutting wheat. The only way we got out of it, if the fourth fell on a Sunday or if it was pouring down rain, we were going to be out there in the heat cutting grain. And having sung that song on Sunday, whatever day the fourth would fall on, we're looking at that grain. And it was, it just, what a picture.

The amber waves. And that's how wheat is the wind blows that wheat and would see that and think this is God's provision. And you mentioned that earlier. As we think about those stones of remembrance, the songs remind us that God provides for us.

Well, the wheat is what gives us bread and we pray every day. Give us this day our daily bread. This song is, well, I always knew it was a great song, but today it has become one of the most magnificent songs I've ever come across. Thank you, Scott. It's easy to remember when it was.

Don't you think that's fascinating? I find it fascinating that it was 1892, 400 years later, and Mike knew that. Yeah. That's awesome. His dad's up there telling him now, son.

Well, man, you know, that just goes to show the importance of us telling our sons and grandsons, right? As we earned. And the importance of singing these songs in our churches. that they do have great meaning. Uh yeah, and You know, it is such an honor to have you on Scott and to have such a love that you have for it.

And You know, I know the Battle Hymn and the Republic. Really misunderstood song in a lot of different ways. As the theology behind that kind of really disturbed me at one point in time, but it is a fantastic. And right before the show, Randy Everson was here, and he described, he just quoted the last verse in the Lily's. In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea.

Christ was born across the sea. Yep. With a glory in his bosom that transfigured you and me as he died to make men holy. And this is how the psalm was originally written: Let us die to make men free. This is for the Union to fight for the end of slavery, to bring an end to that horrible institution.

Let us die to make men free. And then. Randy said. I changed the word. Let us now live to make men free.

And we can do that by being soul winners. Right. Right. And the greatest liberty that any person will ever experience is not the liberty of America. As great as our freedoms are, it's that liberty from sin, knowing that Jesus Christ died for us to set us free.

to give us liberty. You've done some work on that word liberty before. Yeah, it's a lot different than freedom. Liberty is an amazing idea of being under God. Where freedom, you're now free to move about the country, but you're free to do crazy things.

But what are you going to do with that freedom, as William Wallace said, is to do with liberty. And it's an amazing thing that we have this. Um Liberty Bell and we have all these things that that we can Do you know what's on every coin? That in the United States, it has been there since 1792. I have a feeling I won't wonder any more today.

Every coin has the word liberty on it. Really? Every coin All that we've ever done in God we trust came later. And I'm forgetting now, and I'm kicking myself for not remembering. One of the writers of signers, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, wanted to make sure no one would ever forget what we have.

And he said, he passed a bill in Congress. He's the one who presented it. Congress passed it that on every coin would be the word liberty.

So on this 4th of July, look at your coin and be reminded of what those men provided for us, what God has provided for us, and given to us liberty. And then that's a great name for school too, isn't it, Scott? Oh, I I think so. I think it's world class, buddy. I have to say, Dr.

Carson, it was interesting early in your program when you were able to get the The illustration in there about bonfires because I can remember you and I, you and I sharing a lot of bonfires in your backyard there, buddy. And so on this fourth, build a bonfire. Yes, Scott, it's been such an honor to have you with us. And you guys have an amazing service on the fourth on Sunday.

Well, you know, that'll be this Sunday. You too, Dr. Carson. Thank you so much for listening to everybody.