Celebrating 250 Years of the Blessings of Liberty

My Fellow Oregonian,

Today, we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, that timeless document that birthed our great nation.

No doubt many of you will be celebrating with family and friends, fireworks and barbecues. I hope you find much joy in these festivities, but in the midst of the celebration, please take a moment and reflect on the words of the Declaration:

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.

Despite the troubles we might face as a nation—and the troubles we might face as a state—these words ring as true now as they did at the time they were written.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi encouraging them to work out their salvation (Philippians 2:12). The idea inherent in this verse is that we, as Christians, never can quite grasp the fullness of the salvation we have in Jesus Christ but are to every day seek an understanding of it and, by His grace and mercy, live up to it.

The same is true of our great nation’s efforts to live up to those timeless words found in the Declaration—“that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights.” Many times these words have been lived up to; other times they have been perverted. But in every case of perversion, the American People have seen fit to rectify the injustice and continue that glorious pursuit of righteous freedom. And undoubtedly God has continually blessed us.

As you celebrate today, pray for our nation, thanking God for the blessings of liberty he has bestowed upon us and asking that He continually guide, empower, and embolden us to live up to the sacred promise found in the Declaration of Independence.

Happy Independence Day!

God bless,

Nick Stark
CEO
Oregon Freedom Coalition