“By the Grace of Almighty God” — Vance’s 250th Birthday Speech

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Saturday, July 4, 2026 — Vice President JD Vance addressed patriotic sailors aboard the USS Kearsarge in New York Harbor today as part of “Sail 4th 250″ and the International Naval Review. New York Harbor filled with tall ships and thunder to mark America’s 250th birthday, but the loudest statement of the day came from Vance himself.

“Today we celebrate 250 years of America facing the future without fear,” Vance told the crowd. He continued, “We celebrate 250 years of proving what a free people can achieve by the providence of our Almighty Creator.” (nypost.com) Vance went on to credit the nation’s founders directly, saying they secured this republic “by the grace of almighty God.”

His words echo Psalm 33:12: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.”

Rejecting the Culture of Complaint

Vance also took aim at Americans who “speak obsessively not of our national greatness, but of our imperfections.” That’s a spirit of ingratitude, and Scripture warns against it directly. Philippians 2:14 tells us to do everything “without grumbling or disputing.” A nation drowning in self-hatred cannot stand. Rome fell from the inside. Israel wandered forty years for the same sin. Gratitude isn’t optional — it’s foundational.

Redemption, Not Just Independence

Here’s what this 250th birthday should really mean: America was never just declaring independence from a king. She was declaring dependence on a King — the King of Kings. Jesus Christ is not a side character in American history. He is the reason our founders believed in unalienable rights, because they believed those rights came from a Creator, not a government. 2 Chronicles 7:14 gives the blueprint for national restoration: “If my people… shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face… then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

The Call to Every American

This July 4th, don’t just wave a flag — bow a knee. Thank God for 250 years of freedom, and ask Him to heal what’s broken. Pray for this nation. Share your faith boldly. Vote your values. Raise your children to know Christ is Lord not just over America, but is Lord over all. God bless the United States of America.

To see the full speech, click here. 

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