Americans are in a negative mood about the current state of the country, with large majorities expressing dissatisfaction with the economy and overall national conditions. And when they look toward the not-too-distant future, they see a country that in many respects may be worse than it is today, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey.

According to the survey, sizable majorities of U.S. adults say that in the future the economy will be weaker, the country less important in the world, and political divisions will be wider. Far fewer adults predict positive developments in these areas.

If they’re right, what’s to celebrate this July 4th?

My friend, Gary Bauer, the President of Our American Values answers this question in a wonderful way in a blog he penned recently:

Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays — celebrating patriotism, our history, and the tremendous courage, faith, and sacrifices of our Founding Fathers. As America’s birthday approaches, by all means, celebrate America and our freedoms!

But I do have one request.

Please take a moment to remind your children and grandchildren about America’s exceptionalism and the significance of Independence Day.

Remind them about the sacrifices at Bunker Hill and Concord Bridge that were necessary to create this nation and secure our freedoms. Tell them about the courage of George Washington crossing the Delaware River on Christmas night.

Most importantly, tell them about America’s “mission statement,” found in the second paragraph of 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. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. . .”

Those were radical ideas in 1776, and they are still radical concepts in many parts of the world today.

Sadly, our modern society is struggling with the concept of “truth” and the notion that our rights come from God, not government. As Ronald Reagan famously warned, freedom is not guaranteed. Reagan said:

“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.”

That warning has never seemed more dire than today, as radical neo-Marxists are determined to “fundamentally transform America.”

Can we, as Benjamin Franklin put it, keep our constitutional Republic? Will this be the generation when freedom in America becomes extinct? The threat has never been greater.

The future of our liberty depends on whether folks like you and me can muster the courage to overcome the left’s impulse to rule or ruin.

In closing, I would like to offer a brief note of encouragement to our pastors on the front lines of the culture war.

John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg is a lesser-known hero of the War for Independence. He was a pastor and a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. In 1775, he preached a sermon on Ecclesiastes 3:1 – “For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” Pastor Muhlenberg closed his sermon with these words:

“In the language of Holy Writ, there is a time for all things. There is a time to preach and a time to fight. And now is the time to fight.”

He then removed his clerical robes and revealed to the congregation that he was dressed in the uniform of a Continental Army officer.

I hope Pastor Muhlenberg’s example of a man of God fighting for our God-given rights inspires more pastors to join the fight for Faith, Family, and Freedom.

Like few times in our nation’s history, this is a time to fight for the values we cherish!

God bless you, my friends, and may God bless the United States of America!

As you and your family celebrate our country’s Independence Day this weekend, teach your friends and family, your children and grandchildren, that America is still worth celebtrating

Or, as Lee Greenwood so powerfully sings, “God bless the U.S.A.!”

Oh, and by the way, if you’re in the mood for a hero’s story that will remind you of the greatness of America, her soldiers, and her greatness, order a copy of my new book, At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse. Amazon has it on sale this week for an amazing 36% OFF.

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