document.open(); document.writeln(""); document.writeln("Freedom to Worship
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Now the Lord is"); document.writeln("the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.1

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After visiting America in 1831, French writer Alexis"); document.writeln("de Tocqueville said, \'€œI sought for the greatness of the United States in her"); document.writeln("commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests;"); document.writeln("and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world"); document.writeln("commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning;"); document.writeln("and it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her"); document.writeln("matchless Constitution; and it was not there. Not until I went into the"); document.writeln("churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I"); document.writeln("understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America"); document.writeln("is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!\'€2"); document.writeln("

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When Tocqueville passed through America, there were"); document.writeln("roughly 10,000 to 15,000 Christian congregations nationwide. As of 2026,"); document.writeln("there are an estimated 350,000 to 370,000 Christian churches and"); document.writeln("religious congregations in the United States.3

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We are blessed to live in a county where we are free"); document.writeln("to worship the one true God and openly share His love with everyone! And"); document.writeln("where Jesus is, there is freedom! America was founded on a hope and trust in"); document.writeln("God. The founding fathers looked to God for the guidance of the country. Over"); document.writeln("the last two centuries, that faith has waned and, amongst the good, sin has"); document.writeln("become increasingly tolerated; and although churches are growing, so is sin."); document.writeln("The great news is that the Spirit of the Lord continues to abide among us!

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This great American nation still celebrates their"); document.writeln("freedom every year, and this year, as America celebrates 250 years, may we also"); document.writeln("celebrate the God that this great nation was founded upon. May we seek to make"); document.writeln("God the center of our lives, our families, and the center of our country."); document.writeln("Only then can our country be truly great!

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Suggested prayer: Dear Holy Father, today as I"); document.writeln("consider the freedom to worship that I enjoy, I lift up to you the Christians"); document.writeln("in the nations around the world who are suffering oppression and persecution in"); document.writeln("your name. I pray that you fill them with courage and joy as they seek to share"); document.writeln("your love with those who deny you. I pray that they will know freedom in you."); document.writeln("In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

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1.   "); document.writeln("2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV)."); document.writeln("

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2.   "); document.writeln("Source Unknown.

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3.   "); document.writeln("Hartford Institute for Religion"); document.writeln("Research.

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Today\'€™s Encounter was written by: Veronica B.

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This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online.

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ACTS International

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