Here’s a Bible story you can use for your Independence Day lesson.

Have two children be team leaders and take turns picking their teams. At this point, you can have a relay race or play another game with two teams.

Ask the children who were picked this question. When you were picked for team leader A’s team or team leader B’s team, were you on their team or were the leaders on your team?

Joshua 5:13-14(ICB)  Joshua was near Jericho. He looked up and saw a man standing in front of him. The man had a sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and asked, “Are you a friend or an enemy?”  The man answered, “I am neither one. I have come as the commander of the Lord’s army.” Then Joshua bowed facedown on the ground. He asked, “Does my master have a command for me, his servant?”

Tell the story (a condensed version) about how Joshua and the children of Israel were commanded to take the promised land in your own words. You can find the story in Joshua 1-5. Joshua obeyed God and sent spies to the city of Jericho. Then Israel marched across the Jordan river on dry ground.

Israel was God’s nation, and they were doing what God wanted, yet the night before the battle, an angel appeared and said he wasn’t on Joshua’s side. He was on God’s side. That meant if Joshua followed God and was on God’s side, he would all right. But if he didn’t follow God, it wouldn’t matter if God had been for Israel in the past.

We’re celebrating the birthday of our nation. The United States of America started as a nation under God. Most of the founding fathers served God.

Even though our nation has been founded on God, that doesn’t mean God is for the United States. God will bless the United States as our country does right and follows after Him.

No nation can claim that God is on our side. As a nation, we should be on God’s side.

But that’s true of people as well. Just because you are a Christian and go to church doesn’t mean God is on your side. But if you are on God’s side, He will fight for you and bless you. Here’s how to be on God’s side.

Joshua 1:7-9(ICB)  Be strong and brave. Be sure to obey all the teachings my servant Moses gave you. If you follow them exactly, you will be successful in everything you do.  Always remember what is written in the Book of the Teachings. Study it day and night. Then you will be sure to obey everything that is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything.  Remember that I commanded you to be strong and brave. So don’t be afraid. The Lord your God will be with you everywhere you go.”

Be strong and brave. Sometimes it’s hard to do the right thing. Other kids will make fun of you. Bullies pick on you. Sometimes even teachers, celebrities, and politicians tell you that what is right is wrong and what is wrong is right. But if you want to do the right and be on God’s side, be brave and do the right thing anyway.

Obey God. It’s sometimes easier to do what we want than to do what God wants. But if we want to be on God’s side, we will obey Him.

Learn what God’s Word says. What other people say isn’t as important as what God says. His Word, the Bible, is truth. To be on God’s side, learn what it says.

Remember God is with you. When you’re on God’s side, you don’t have to be afraid because God is always with you. He will never leave you.

I want to be on God’s side.

With Independence Day less than two  weeks away, Sunday would be a great time to teach children that the United States was founded on Christian principles.

Some Facts about our Founding Fathers:

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Twenty-four of them held seminary or Bible school degrees.

In 1777. Continental Congress voted to spend $300,000 to purchase bibles which were to be distributed throughout the 13 colonies! And in 1782, the United
States Congress declared, “The Congress of the United States recommends and
approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.”

On March 6, 1789, President John Adams called for a national day of fasting and
prayer for the country could “call to mind our numerous offenses against the
most high God, confess them before Him with the sincerest penitence, implore his pardoning mercy, through the Great Mediator and Redeemer, for our past
transgression, and that through the grace of His Holy Spirit, we may be disposed
and enabled to yield a more suitable obedience. . .”

Patrick Henry read the Bible for hours every day. During his “Give me liberty or give me death” speech, he quoted Matthew and Jeremiah.

In his first general order to his own troops, General George Washington said he called on: ‘Every officer and man…to live, and act, as becomes a Christian Soldier defending the dearest rights and liberties of his country.’

Verses about a Nation’s Responsibility Toward God:

Psalm 33:12 ICB  Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord. Happy are the people He chose for His very own.

Proverbs 11:14  ICB  Without leadership a nation will be defeated. But when many people give advice, it will be safe.

Proverbs 14:34  ICB  Doing what is right makes a nation great. But sin will bring disgrace to any people.

Pledge To the United States Flag:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Pledge to the Christian Flag:

I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose Kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again with life and liberty to all who
believe.

Pledge to the Bible:

I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God’s Holy Word, I will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and will hide its words in my heart that I might not sin against God.

A Christian’s Responsibilities to our Nation:

Obey God first.  Acts 5:29 NRSV  But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.”

Obey Our Leaders and the Law.  Romans 13:1 ICB   All of you must obey the government rulers. No one rules unless God has given him the power to rule. And no one rules now without that power from God.

Pray For Our Leaders. 1 Timothy 2:1 ICB  You should pray for kings and for all who have authority. Pray for the leaders so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives—lives full of worship and respect for God.

The fourth of July is in two weeks. These next two Sundays would be a great time to teach children that the United States was founded on Christian principles.

Some Facts about our Founding Fathers:

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Twenty-four of them held seminary or Bible school degrees.

In 1777. Continental Congress voted to spend $300,000 to purchase bibles which were to be distributed throughout the 13 colonies! And in 1782, the United
States Congress declared, “The Congress of the United States recommends and
approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.”

On March 6, 1789, President John Adams called for a national day of fasting and
prayer for the country could “call to mind our numerous offenses against the
most high God, confess them before Him with the sincerest penitence, implore his pardoning mercy, through the Great Mediator and Redeemer, for our past
transgression, and that through the grace of His Holy Spirit, we may be disposed
and enabled to yield a more suitable obedience. . .”

Patrick Henry read the Bible for hours every day. During his “Give me liberty or give me death” speech, he quoted Matthew and Jeremiah.

In his first general order to his own troops, General George Washington said he called on: ‘Every officer and man…to live, and act, as becomes a Christian Soldier defending the dearest rights and liberties of his country.’

Verses about a Nation’s Responsibility Toward God:

Psalm 33:12 ICB  Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord. Happy are the people He chose for His very own.

Proverbs 11:14  ICB  Without leadership a nation will be defeated. But when many people give advice, it will be safe.

Proverbs 14:34  ICB  Doing what is right makes a nation great. But sin will bring disgrace to any people.

Pledge To the United States Flag:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Pledge to the Christian Flag:

I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose Kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again with life and liberty to all who
believe.

Pledge to the Bible:

I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God’s Holy Word, I will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and will hide its words in my heart that I might not sin against God.

A Christian’s Responsibilities to our Nation:

Obey God first.  Acts 5:29 NRSV  But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.”

Obey Our Leaders and the Law.  Romans 13:1 ICB   All of you must obey the government rulers. No one rules unless God has given him the power to rule. And no one rules now without that power from God.

Pray For Our Leaders. 1 Timothy 2:1 ICB  You should pray for kings and for all who have authority. Pray for the leaders so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives—lives full of worship and respect for God.