We have gathered here to celebrate a document many people today believe is outdated, even archaic. A document, that two hundred-thirty-three years ago, was written to sustain a nation of free men for thousands of years. Men, who had just fought and won and lost many bloody battles. Men, who gave their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor with the intention that all these years later we should still have the same liberties.
They knew it would be difficult for their progeny to continue to fight for freedom, simply because they understood human nature. They understood the energy necessary to safeguard freedom and the ease of man to be pacified. For they too had lived under the rule of a contemptuous leader and allowed injustices to continue.
But there came a time when their conscience could no longer live with inequity. What they did was brave and honorable and we must remember to thank the Lord for providing them with the strength and endurance and His providence to assure their crusade for liberty was fulfilled.
In our age, it seems as if those liberties fought for so long ago are being tossed by the wayside, and those we have elected are no longer interested in preserving the laws of liberty, but their own humanistic agenda. At times the entire idea of freedom and liberty seems to have vanished.
When I become so overwhelmed with the thought of losing this great nation, I turn to the words of those who are much wiser than myself.
In Psalm 56, King David wrote,
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You, In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid.
When David's enemies were knocking at his door, when all seemed to be lost, he trusted in the Lord. He knew the Lord God to be sovereign over all His creation. And that is where I lay my troubles. At the feet of the Lord. Because who is better equipped?
And here we stand today. Flags waving stoically at our front doors. Hearts swelling with patriotic pride. For we are Americans. Free. Strong. Proud. But if we are to stay free, strong and proud, we must never give up the fight over despotism. We must follow in the footsteps of our Founding Fathers and not allow complacency to dictate our actions.
Communism is the greatest threat to our nation today. It is slinking into our country by means of socialistic entitlement programs, and allowing Communist China to use the United States as their clearing house. We must never allow this to happen or everything those men fought for will be lost.
We have to stay strong. We have to continue to fight for our God-given rights. The only way to do that is with the knowledge the Lord is walking alongside us to hold us firm in our convictions, in front of us to lead us in the way of righteousness and behind us to catch us when we fall.
There is risk involved is opposing the current agenda of our government, but there is also risk in allowing our government to continue on its course. The greater risk is the appeasement of those in Washington.
Is life so dear and peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?
The United States is the greatest hope for freedom in our world. We must keep America strong. We have a responsibility, a duty to those who have gone before us to preserve this last bastion of liberty. If the idea of being a free people is not worth dying for, then what is? Will we be the generation to kill the Spirit of 76 because we refused to stand for what is right and just?
I know the thought of restoring our government to its Constitutional roots can be overwhelming and even scary at times, but I continue to find encouragement in the words of God and the courage shown by our Founders. They knew of the Lord's providence over them, and we must continue the battle for justice with the same knowledge wedged securely in our hearts. That is what encourages me when the world around me seems to be more interested in American Idol than American Freedom. When my countrymen are more interested in what their country can do for them than what they can do for their country.
Your country is in desperate need of your help. Trust in God and you will not be afraid. He is watching. He cares. Lay down your troubles at His feet and be assured He will raise you up.
Remember always these words of Ronald Reagan.
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.