The Declaration's Truths
are Still "Self-evident"

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, – That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it...    Do these words seem familiar?  Do you recognize them?  They are from the Declaration of Independence, adopted July 4, 1776.  As we approach Independence Day perhaps we should focus on what these words are saying.

First, all men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.  That means these rights come from God and they cannot be taken away from us by the government nor can we give them away.

Second, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.  This means what the government is allowed to do is determined by us, “We the people.”  It does not mean that “We the people” derive our rights and freedoms from the government.

These days we seem to have this all turned around. We look to the government for almost everything: food stamps, student loans, unemployment checks, and the list continues.  Because we don’t have the money to pay for all of this, we borrow the money leaving the bills to future generations.  The more we borrow the more we become enslaved to the lenders.  The result is that our independence is crumbling under our feet and along with it our freedoms.

Today we see an abuse of power; the IRS targeting conservative groups, the Department of Justice getting the phone records of journalists who are doing their job of investigative reporting, the executive branch refusing to cooperate with Congressional investigations on Benghazi and then refusing to prosecute when the chief law enforcement official – Eric Holder – is found in Contempt of Congress.

What happened?  We would suggest at least two things.
The first is that “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. 
Action?  Elect men and women who are of high principle and character who seek to serve not not to be served.

Second take a look at our educational system.  For decades it has not been teaching our children the principles upon which our country was founded.  Ask any high school student to recite the Declaration of Independence or the Gettysburg Address.  Ask them who wrote them.  Odds are that they will not be able to. 
Action?  First, take time to teach your children the principles of freedom.  Second, tell them about the founding fathers like Washington, Adams, and Jefferson and tell them over 95% of them believed in the living God of the Bible and in Biblical principles.  Next, just for fun, start calling July 4th “Independence Day.”  Then during your celebration this Thursday, stop the partying and, as family and friends come together, thoughtfully read the Declaration of Independence, thinking about what it was saying then and what it should mean to us today.

Until next week,

Bill, Mark, and John