line everyday to ensure that we, and others in this world, can have freedom. I would especially like to thank my brother, who is serving a tour in Afghanistan. Ben makes me crazy sometimes, but he is doing something that I could never do, and for that I am grateful.I am also posting a copy of the article Bob wrote for our church's newsletter. I think that it really captures what America is about. Enjoy!
In just under a week, our nation will be 232 years old, and as nations go that is extremely young. In such a short time we have been through tremendous adversity. In less than 20 years citizen soldiers fought for and won our independence from the largest and most powerful military on earth then proceeded to invent a new kind of government that is now the pattern for all of the free peoples of the world. We have fought 10 major wars as well as dozens of smaller conflicts. Through force of arms we have freed not only ourselves but millions of people world wide from oppressive governments; in all costing millions of casualties including the death of over one and a half million American soldiers. We have been at the brink of economic ruin dozens of times and survived drought, depressions, major social upheaval and even civil war.
Although it is a stretch to say that all of our leaders were committed Christians, the case could easily be made that a significant number of our founding fathers, and subsequent presidents, have been influenced significantly by the teachings of the Bible. From theories on government to guidance in times of great trouble, the Bible’s influence has been very prevalent in the actions, words and writings of our leaders. With our nation’s anniversary right around the corner it seemed appropriate to reflect back on what some of our greatest leaders have said and written about how God and the Bible helped them to shape and sustain our nation.
Samuel Adams – “Religion and good morals are the only solid foundation of public liberty and happiness.”
John Jay – “The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts.”
John Adams –“Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all government and in all the combinations of human society.”
Ronald Regan -“Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure.”
George Washington -“Your love of liberty - your respect for the laws - your habits of industry - and your practice of the moral and religious obligations, are the strongest claims to national and individual happiness.”
In some of the darkest hours in our history presidents have often turned to their faith and the faith of the American people for guidance and solace. In his address on the evening of September 11, 2001 President Bush asked the nation to pray “for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us spoken through the ages in Psalm23: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me.”
While allied forces were establishing the beachhead at Normandy on the evening of June 6, 1944 President Franklin Roosevelt addressed the nation by radio and asked the country to pray with him. Roosevelt’s prayer that evening captured not only the essence of the allies’ struggle, but also the fundamental nature of our nation’s goal since declaring independence in 1776; a people, with the help of God, struggling to be a bastion of justice, freedom and hope to the world.
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity … They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph … For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home … Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom … And for us at home help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice … But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts … O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose … With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom… Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.
Although it is a stretch to say that all of our leaders were committed Christians, the case could easily be made that a significant number of our founding fathers, and subsequent presidents, have been influenced significantly by the teachings of the Bible. From theories on government to guidance in times of great trouble, the Bible’s influence has been very prevalent in the actions, words and writings of our leaders. With our nation’s anniversary right around the corner it seemed appropriate to reflect back on what some of our greatest leaders have said and written about how God and the Bible helped them to shape and sustain our nation.
Samuel Adams – “Religion and good morals are the only solid foundation of public liberty and happiness.”
John Jay – “The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts.”
John Adams –“Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all government and in all the combinations of human society.”
Ronald Regan -“Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure.”
George Washington -“Your love of liberty - your respect for the laws - your habits of industry - and your practice of the moral and religious obligations, are the strongest claims to national and individual happiness.”
In some of the darkest hours in our history presidents have often turned to their faith and the faith of the American people for guidance and solace. In his address on the evening of September 11, 2001 President Bush asked the nation to pray “for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us spoken through the ages in Psalm23: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me.”
While allied forces were establishing the beachhead at Normandy on the evening of June 6, 1944 President Franklin Roosevelt addressed the nation by radio and asked the country to pray with him. Roosevelt’s prayer that evening captured not only the essence of the allies’ struggle, but also the fundamental nature of our nation’s goal since declaring independence in 1776; a people, with the help of God, struggling to be a bastion of justice, freedom and hope to the world.
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity … They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph … For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home … Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom … And for us at home help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice … But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts … O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose … With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom… Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.
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