We are approaching the 250th anniversary of our nation. What a milestone this is – to celebrate our country’s long-standing existence as a nation which was founded on principles gleaned from the pages of Scripture. Read carefully, thoughtfully, and prayerfully these quotes from two men who were profoundly used of God in the ongoing march of our nation’s past.

I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that “except the Lord builds they labor in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this: and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel. Benjamin Franklin

We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving Grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! Abraham Lincoln

Two giants from the pages of history; two testimonies of their belief in God, and of the nation’s desperate need to remain faithful to Him. But look closely at their words. Listen to their hearts as they warn those who were contemporaries with them, as well as those who would follow. The warning is clear, concise, and unmistakable: Remove God, and the nation will not survive! I don’t think either of them could have made their point any clearer. And please understand that this is only two examples out of many, many others that carry the same sentiment.

I wonder what they would say as their beloved nation draws near to its 250th anniversary. Would they recognize it? Would they be pleased with the state of the nation they so loved? Or would they lament what they would witness?

I certainly can’t speak for them, but I can, through quoting these statements, let them speak once again. I would recommend that you take a few minutes to reread the quotes above. I would suggest that we not allow ourselves to read them without thinking about the seriousness of their words. These two men gave a solemn word of warning to all that would follow after them in the ongoing march into the pages of history.

I would like to draw attention to this statement from Abraham Lincoln’s words: “But we have forgotten God.” Have we, today, forgotten God’s role in the establishment, and ongoing development, of the United States of America? Have we embraced a philosophy of life that is void of the clear teachings of Scripture? Are we now, as a nation, being guided by those in powerful political offices who embrace a philosophy of how our government should lead us into the future – without the God of the Bible even getting a passing glance as they stand on the philosophical and societal principles which would only lead our nation even further down a rabbit-hole that closely resembles Alice’s: A rabbit-hole in which we meet characters who claim to love America, but who disregard the precedents of our historical past. Especially those precedents which clearly establish the Judeo-Christian heritage and foundation upon which this nation was established.

My direst worry about our nation as we celebrate this huge milestone is that the God now being embraced by multitudes of our citizenry is not the God of the Bible. The “gods” of the present day are not God! They are either false gods of other religions, or they are man-made gods who only cater to our personal and, I might add, selfish desires.

Church steeples still dot the countryside of America. But fewer and fewer continue to stand staunchly on the principles which guided our leaders from the past to make such powerful statements as those quoted above. Will the United States of America survive the onslaught of philosophical, societal, and political change? Only God knows the answer to that question. And, He is our only hope!

So, I say, “Happy Birthday, America! Celebrate! Remember! Learn from those who blazed the trail to make America great. And God, please, make America great again by turning our hearts back to YOU!