As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, let’s not forget that America was born out of a struggle.
The Puritans in the 17th century were determined to practice their faith according to the dictates of Scripture and not the Church of England, which was beholden to a powerful monarchy.
The New England colonies, as well as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, were all founded by settlers who crossed the Atlantic Ocean to flee religious persecution in Great Britain and build a society firmly established on the Word of God.
John Winthrop, in his 1630 sermon “A Model of Christian Charity,” exhorted the Puritan settlers that “we shall be as a city upon a hill.” Winthrop’s message was inspired by Jesus’ mountainside sermon recorded in the fifth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. … Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16).
Even as the dawn of American exceptionalism—rooted in Biblical values—gave birth to the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the struggle raged on.
For more than eight years, 13 North American colonies—made up largely of Christian settlers—battled British troops before eventually becoming sovereign states in 1783 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.
Why did these fledgling colonists prevail in the American Revolutionary War against an English monarchy that had existed for more than 700 years? Because America’s Founding Fathers recognized God as the guarantor of our most precious rights, as stated in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
And two-and-a-half centuries into this American experiment, the struggle continues.
Evil forces are still trying to destroy this beacon of hope that Almighty God has favored from its beginnings and continues to use to be a blessing to the entire world as the most prosperous nation on Earth.
Our world is consumed with violence and war. Those who reject Christ hate Christians because of the standard we live by. We’ve got lots of enemies out there, but in spite of that, we still want to do good to all those around us for Christ’s sake—to share the Gospel and lift up His Name.
The United States has its share of enemies too. Radical forces of socialism continue their relentless campaign to unleash a tyrannical government, void of godly restraint. One of their aims is to destroy God’s design for sexuality—marriage and family, the bedrock of a healthy civilization and a God-blessed America.
I long for the days when patriotism for our country is once again encouraged and modeled for our children. As a boy, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the Lord’s Prayer to start each school day taught me to be grateful for my American heritage.
Think about the unifying and God-fearing feeling that pledge evokes: “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.”
The basis for our country’s legal system and moral foundation was prominently displayed on my classroom walls, where posters listed the Ten Commandments that were originally written by God in stone and given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. I thank God for the recent court rulings upholding the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools in Texas and Louisiana.
Religious liberty and freedom of speech and conscience are human rights that our Founding Fathers wisely acknowledged are granted by God. And the Pledge of Allegiance—adopted in 1942 with “under God” added in 1954—rightly points to the Creator of Heaven and Earth and all its inhabitants as our sovereign provider, protector, and judge.
“The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance” (Psalm 33:11-12).
I’m grateful that President Donald J. Trump recognizes the importance of turning our nation back to God. He was unashamed to read the Bible from the Oval Office as part of the recent observance of “America Reads the Bible” week in late April.
The president read from 2 Chronicles chapter seven about God’s promise of blessing to His people when they repent of their wicked ways. And I was privileged to be among some 500 Christian leaders, government officials and celebrities who took part in reading the Bible aloud from cover to cover. It was broadcast and streamed 12 hours each day from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
After three assassination attempts on President Trump, some people say that the commander-in-chief is one lucky man. I don’t think that luck has anything to do with it. I believe that the hand of God is protecting our president.
I was at the Washington Hilton in late April attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner as a guest of Newsmax’s Greta Van Susteren and her husband, John Coale, when gunshots rang out.
I’m grateful to God for our Secret Service and law enforcement personnel who sprang into action to protect everyone there. It was incredible to witness these highly trained experts risk their lives for the safety of the Trump administration, national media, and their guests.
Please continue praying daily for America. From now through July 4, you can be part of “One Nation Under God—50 Days of Prayer for Our Nation.” Visit OneNationUnderGod.com and join this national prayer movement as a pastor from each state leads a daily prayer for our nation.
This is a critical time in our history, and I am asking Christians across this country to commit to pray every day. There is nothing more powerful and impactful that we can do for our country, our churches and our families than to seek Almighty God through prayer.
