Last night, Donald Trump hit it out of the park in his State of the Union address. It was one hour and 20 minutes, and I enjoyed every minute, especially the first 20 minutes where he listed the incredible accomplishments he has made in his first three years in office in spite of the fact the Democrats have opposed him every inch of the way. I enthusiastically give him an A plus. (I talk more in depth about my analysis of his speech in my podcast today. You can read the entire transcript by clicking here.)
Many others seemed to be inspired by his message too. Members of Congress—at least the Republicans—interrupted his speech 129 times with applause, and many were standing ovations. Democrats mostly sat and didn’t applaud, but even they stood and cheered a few times.
“Three years ago, we launched the great American comeback,” Trump said. “Tonight, I stand before you to share the incredible results. Jobs are booming, incomes are soaring, poverty is plummeting, crime is falling, confidence is surging, and our country is thriving and highly respected again! America’s enemies are on the run, America’s fortunes are on the rise, and America’s future is blazing bright.
“… I am thrilled to report to you tonight that our economy is the best it has ever been. Our military is completely rebuilt, with its power being unmatched anywhere in the world—and it is not even close. Our borders are secure. Our families are flourishing. Our values are renewed. Our pride is restored. And for all these reasons, I say to the people of our great country and to the members of Congress before me: The state of our union is stronger than ever before!”
I found it significant that he talked about the many accomplishments of his presidency, yet right after the speech was over, Nancy Pelosi ripped it up in front of everyone. She said she couldn’t find truth on any page.
But what did Trump say that wasn’t true? During his speech, he said the economy is booming, unemployment is lower than ever and that the USMCA that just passed will create 100,000 high-paying jobs. How can the Democrats say any of that isn’t true? They don’t even try to provide evidence to refute Trump’s words.
It’s interesting to me that the Democrats were so opposed to Trump’s speech, especially considering he hardly rebuked them at all. He was extremely presidential in his address. He didn’t mention anything about the impeachment, the Mueller report or anything to do with the Ukraine. Instead, he tried to inspire the American people with the great things that have been happening in our nation and the great things yet to come.
If anything, his speech showed to an even greater extent what a leader Trump really is—and I’m grateful for that. The media, and even some Christians criticize him for not being the perfect Christian. But I like to quote Pastor Robert Jeffress of Dallas, who said he didn’t vote for someone who is the perfect Christian but for a president who would protect his right to be a Christian. God loves to use imperfect leaders, which I discuss more in my latest book, God, Trump and the 2020 Election.
In his State of the Union address, President Trump articulated what has made America great and, in the climax to his impressive speech, provided a vision for the future.
“The American nation was carved out of the vast frontier by the toughest, strongest and fiercest, and the most determined men and women ever to walk the face of the Earth. Our ancestors braced the unknown; tamed the wilderness; settled the Wild West; lifted millions from poverty, disease and hunger; vanquished tyranny and fascism; ushered the world to new heights … and our ancestors built the most exceptional Republic ever to exist in all of human history. And we are making it greater than ever before,” he said. “This is our glorious and magnificent inheritance.”
I might add that many of those brave men and women were godly people who were motivated by their desire for religious liberty and whose faith in God motivated them to endure the hardship. Plus, I believe God blessed them to make this country a shining light to the world, which I also articulate in my book.
The President continued: “We are Americans. We are the pioneers. We are the pathfinder. We settled the new world, we built the modern world, and we changed history forever by embracing the eternal truth that everyone is made equal by the hand of Almighty God. America is the place where anything can happen. America is the place where anyone can rise. And here, on this land, on this soil, on this continent, the most incredible dreams come true!”
What a vision! What a leader who seems to understand. And what a contrast to President Obama, who went on an apology tour after he was sworn in and who believed—as most on the Left do—that America was never that great and is only one of many nations, and one that was founded on slave labor. Of course, America is not perfect and not all Americans are godly. And slavery is the great sin of America’s past. But godly people called abolitionists confronted slavery and hundreds of thousands of Americans died to end slavery.
This is why we need to reelect Trump in 2020, because we need a president who provides this type of leadership and who articulates this type of vision. As Democrats move further and further left, Trump has stood firm to protect religious liberty. And it’s no secret that our country needs to step it up in protecting religious freedom.
Just think of how many Christian companies have faced religious discrimination in the last five to 10 years. Hobby Lobby was going to have to pay a fine of over $1 million a day if it didn’t provide abortifacient contraceptives in its insurance plan. It went to the Supreme Court and won. And it’s well known that many Christian bakers, florists and photographers have been taken to court and had to pay huge fines for not serving at a gay wedding. I fear that if the Democrats get into power, they will enact laws that label as “hate speech” certain things in the Bible, such as traditional marriage, and criminalize it.
The Bible tells us to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves (see Matt. 10:16). That means we have to be discerning when we are attacked for speaking up about our Christian beliefs. We can’t be passive. We must be bold like Donald Trump, who has become our champion in standing for religious liberty and the traditional values Christians hold dear.
That’s why I’m trying to wake up the Christian community when it comes to what’s going on in our nation. Some may argue that Christians can’t be so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good. But I believe the Bible should be the lens we view every part of our lives, including politics. We need to see what’s going on through a spiritual lens—and act accordingly. That’s why I wrote God, Trump and the 2020 Election and why I hope you read it. The book is available wherever books are sold. Your buying it at retail encourages these booksellers to carry other Christian books in the future, so you’re helping the cause of getting good Christian books into the marketplace of ideas.
I encourage you to listen to my full podcast today, where I analyze in depth the Trump address and what it means for believers today. And if you appreciate what you read today, share this article on your social media.
Stephen Strang 
