Deuteronomy 6:10-12
“When the LORD your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD…”
Excerpt from One Nation Under God:
“Alexis de Tocqueville was the famous 19th-century French statesman, historian, and social philosopher. He traveled to America in the 1830s to discover the reasons for the incredible success of this new nation. He published his observations in his classic two-volume work, Democracy in America. He was especially impressed by America’s religious character. Here are some startling excerpts from Tocqueville’s great work:
‘I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and ample rivers, and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power…America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, we will cease to be great.'”
~ painting by Thomas Kinkade