Today, June 14^th is National Flag Day.  American is a country that was founded with God given rights of freedom and liberty.  Our United States flag was adopted with 13 stars and 13 alternating stripes representing the original 13 colonies. In 1777 the American Flag was adopted by congress. Flag Day was established by proclamation in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson and in 1949 by an act of Congress. Today like every day, the American flag is flown as a symbol of patriotism to the greatest nation on earth.

Today also marks the first day of the yearly Patriot Academy Leadership Congress at the Arizona Capitol. Exactly a decade ago, in 2013, Patriot Academy graduates Juan and Laura Ciscomani brought the Patriot Academy to Arizona to teach 16 -25 year old young American patriots’ skills that focus on leadership training combined with the most realistic, simulated legislative sessions in America. Students leave with the principles, strategies, and skills to lead their generation and our nation with character and courage. Juan and Laura have personally led this training in Arizona every year since its conception. Their dedication to the Patriot Academy and our country has inspired countless young Americans to truly be biblical citizens. Juan Ciscomani’s rise to become the US Congressman CD6 is a tribute to all Patriot Academy graduates.

4Tucson has been beside Juan and Laura Ciscomani every year since the first Patriot Academy class to raise support and participation for the Patriot Academy. In addition to the Leadership Congress, for many years 4Tucson has facilitated a variety of Patriot Academy video courses like Constitutional Defense, Biblical Citizenship in Modern America and Constitution Alive!  Knowing our nations biblical roots give great meaning to the proclamation:

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

1Thessalonians 5:21 “but test them all – hold on to what is good”. In our 247 year history, the United States has been put to many tests. Our republic has survived by “we the people”, pledging to be “one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”  There have been times in our history were we had to fight for these ideals. Over 1.1 million Americans have died fighting to preserve our freedom. During our civil war, we put our country to the test to right a wrong. Nearly 500,000 Americans died to abolish slavery. Holding on to liberty and justice isn’t easy but if we are truly a nation under God, we can hold on to the ideals expressed in the Preamble of our Constitution.

“We,the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America”.

Being indivisible is pretty hard to achieve. As our country was divided on slavery, we today, are being divided on issues like abortion, sex, gender ideology, race, nationality, guns, political parties, and religion or lack thereof.  Even with differences, we can unite to protect the Constitution of the United States and pledge to be “one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Romans 13:1 tell us “The authorities that exist are established by God”. As biblical citizens, we have an obligation to elect representatives that align with God’s sovereignty. Then we can say with confidence, “God Bless America”.