January 4, 2025 • 28 mins
Dr. Gene Bailey explores how George Washington's faith help rescue and shape a new nation called the "United States of America." George Washington truly is an example of someone who chose to step up and "be the one" in his generation. He was a man who followed God, and because of that God used him to establish America as his nation.
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(00:00):
Most people today would recognize this guyas George Washington,
and some might know himas the man who led the colonial Army
through the Revolutionary War that gainedAmerica's independence from Britain,
but most may not really know the real man,the real George
Washington, the Christian, and the facthe was a praying man.
(00:21):
He designed America's first flagan Appeal to Heaven flag that referred
to the belief that our rights come fromGod and not from man.
He also designed the famousBetsy Ross flag that represents
the early efforts of the American peopleto establish a new nation
based on principles of liberty, democracyand self-governance.
(00:43):
But it's this image, GeorgeWashington's prayer at Valley Forge
that best representsa man who had his faith in God,
and he was the right manin the right place at the right time.
He truly was someone who stepped up to bethe one
in his generation and deservedlyso, is called the Father of America.
(01:05):
His very first act as America's
first president was to establish
a covenant with God.
George Washington.
On this episode of Revival Radio, TV.
In every generationthere have been revivals,
massive moves of the Spiritthat changed the course of history.
(01:28):
In every revival,there were believers like you
who chose to answer the call
to become the one in their generation.
Discover your call to be the one
in your generation.
Today I want to tell youa be the one story that will take us on a
journey.
(01:49):
A journey from a farm in Virginiathrough the Revolutionary War,
past locations of hard won victoriesand discouraging defeats.
And every step of the way, Americaand George
Washington will move closerto a meeting with destiny.
The very first act
of America was to establish a covenantwith God,
(02:11):
a destiny that no other nationexcept Israel has done.
You know, referencing the founderstoday has become almost a punch line
for those on the left who mock the menand mark what they stand for.
But let's look into the livesof the founders and more importantly,
listen to their own wordsand what they accomplish.
(02:32):
These were the most brilliantand the most insightful political
philosophers and statesmen in one placeat one time
in the history of the world.
And here they were all sayingit was God who used us to do this.
So you have to ask yourself,were they all wrong?
No, of course not. They weren't.
(02:53):
And none were more impressivethan George Washington,
not because of his philosophyor his depth of knowledge,
but simply as a normal manlike you and me.
But he was firmly rootedand grounded in his faith, and he depended
on God, a God who he believedwas using him for his own purposes.
And George Washington realizedGod had a purpose for him
(03:17):
that was higher than his own.
Now, who better to tell you this storythan another great American,
Ronald Reagan, speaking from GeorgeWashington's home, Mount Vernon.
250 years after his birth.
Washington'sstar shines brighter than ever.
(03:39):
Our cause is noble, he said.
It is the cause of mankind.
Pursuit of liberty and justice under God
is still the most inspiring,the most successful,
the most revolutionary ideathe world has ever known.
Words alone cannot expresshow much we revere this giant for freedom.
(04:00):
Yes, he is first in our hearts
and will be first for all time.
If one word could describeall this man was
and all he meant,it might be indispensable.
He seemed to be carrying outa divine plan for America.
Washington was giftedwith a vision of the future.
He dreamedAmerica could be a great, prosperous
(04:21):
and peaceful nationstretching from ocean to ocean.
He hoped the deliberations at Philadelphiawould end with a declaration
of our independence.
He even designed and presented a drawingof the new American flag to Betsy Ross.
13 stripes and a circle of whitestars on a field of blue.
(04:41):
Never a passive leader.
Never an armchair general.
He was always in front of his troopsand his nation.
When the war was going badly,
his courage and leadershipturned the tide of history
our way and our first Christmasas a nation.
In 1776, he led his band of raggedcitizens shoulders
(05:02):
across the Delaware Riverthrough driving snow
to a victory that savedthe cause of American independence.
Their route of March, it issaid, was stained by bloody footprints,
but their spirit did not fade.
Their will could not be crushed.
Washington kept them going.
After the revolution,he wanted to return here to Mt.
(05:24):
Vernon,to be with his family, to farm, to hunt.
But he loved his country,and his country needed him.
The 13 former colonies were impoverished.
They were bickering.
They needed a constitutionso that they could become a union
of sovereign statesjoined to a central government.
The American
political experimentwas new to all human experience
(05:47):
and the world expected us to fail
If Washington had not steppedforward again, first
at the Constitutional Convention,
then as our first elected president,we might well have failed.
He was a man of deep faith who believedthe pillars of society were religion,
morality and bonds of brotherhoodbetween all citizens.
(06:08):
It has been written that the most sublimefigure in American history
was George Washington on his knees
in the snow at Valley Forge.
George Washington.
The farmer, the surveyor, the frontiersmanand the soldier.
Up until this generation,every school kid knew him
(06:29):
as the first American hero,as the father of our nation.
In fact, his image in Americais truly bigger than life.
But the man goes beyond the mythbecause he wasn't a myth,
and his honesty and his characterand his sense of duty were all true.
In many ways, George Washington embodieswhat's good about America's story.
(06:51):
So the left wants to tear that down.
Basically,
they don't tell about the good he did
things likehe was the only founder to free his slaves
and provide them with a pensionfor the rest of their lives.
In fact,it wasn't until the Progressive Era
in the 1920s when this book came out
that he tried to tear downthe image of Washington
(07:14):
and it spread the liethat he was not a Christian, but a deist.
If you've ever heard the left's narrativethat is now
taught as history about George Washington,
this is the actual book that beganthe lies about Washington.
They were quoted by historians, andthis book has no footnotes and no sources.
(07:35):
William E.
Woodward,the author who introduced the word debunk
into the English language and who createda new technique of biographical writing
that is actually fictionor outright propaganda.
Now, these books are the real story.
In his own words from original sourcesand footnotes
(07:56):
like the real GeorgeWashington, George Washington.
The Christian. The first inauguration.
Well, I'm here to tell you
and show you the real man, GeorgeWashington, who relied on God in prayer
from real history in these booksthat show that
the man using his own words.
(08:16):
And there are footnotes to these sources.
You see this little book.
This is the rules of civility
and decent behaviorwritten in his own handwriting.
Listen to this.
When he was 14 years old,
(08:38):
he hand copied 110 rules
or maximshe thought were important to master,
to have good character and functionas a man in a polite society.
This is rule number 58.
It says here, let your conversationbe without malice or envy,
for it's a sign of a tractableand commendable nature.
(09:00):
And in all cases of passionand reason to govern.
14 years old,
they'd actually be
great for young people today,don't you think?
They represent more than just manners.
They are small sacrificesthat we should all be willing to make
for the good of allin the sake of living together.
(09:20):
These rules proclaim
our respect for others and in turngive us the gift of self-respect
and heightened self esteem.
George Washington
was interestedin focusing on mastering his nature.
He had a strong temperand took tremendous control to master it.
(09:45):
Give me an example of that.Let me tell you a story.
William Payne was the only manwho physically assaulted
George Washington and got away with it.
It was during one of the early electionsthat William Payne supporting
Washington's opponent and their discussiondevolved well into an argument.
And all of a sudden Payne reaches upand he knocks him to the ground.
(10:05):
Washington's fellowofficers were quick to step forward,
but Washington waved them off and said,No, it's okay, let him go.
And he went back to the endwhere he was staying.
Almost immediately, he set down,he wrote a letter saying to Mr.
Payne, I'd like to visit with youtomorrow morning.
Well, Payne was scared for his life,as you can imagine,
because if you're going to face George
(10:26):
Washington and his physical power,then you might be scared, too.
But when he showed up the next morning,
ColonelWashington did something unexpected.
He put forth his hand and said, Mr.
Payne, I'd like to apologizefor losing my temper
in an unprotected moment,and I hope we can still be friends.
And they stayed friendsthe rest of their lives.
(10:51):
You see this little book?
It's a pocket sizedcopy of the Book of Common Prayer.
Ever since the Reformation, Englishmanand Colonials used
these little books in lieu of a minister.
Their prayers for everything in here,from the cradle to the grave, prayers
for repentance and healing and prayersfor the government.
(11:11):
In fact,after the Revolutionary War, George
helped his wife, Martha, printa new American Book of Prayer
that added praying for the presidentand Congress instead of King George,
which was in the English Book of CommonPrayer.
But George Washington kepta personal prayer book with him at all
times, one that was his own prayerswritten in his own handwriting.
(11:33):
Two prayers, one for mourning and one fornight for each day of the week.
This pocket prayer journalis actually reprinted in this book.
George Washington, the Christian.
He trained himself to be a surveyor,which meant
(11:56):
he spent a lot of time outdoorsin the wilderness, navigating the terrain,
learning how to hunt and to shoot,camping in the wild and interacting
with the native people.
This made him an expert frontiersman,not your typical city boy.
Also, it gave him all the skillsof an excellent soldier
even before he joined the army.
(12:17):
He served in the British Armyduring the French and Indian War.
In fact,it was in a major battle in the wilderness
that he earned the nickname BulletproofGeorge Washington,
as documented in the bookThe Bulletproof George Washington.
God was looking out for himand protecting him for a higher purpose.
(12:37):
Here is the Journal of Major GeorgeWashington, which documents his journey
to deliver a message to the Frenchduring the French and Indian War.
This book, printed during the war,made him a national hero.
Even before the revolution,
(13:00):
the harsh reality of the price for liberty
and independence became immediatelyevident through blood and treasure
as war broke out and Washingtonwas called upon to lead the citizen army.
The revolution that began
with self-evident truths immediatelycame up against the most obvious truth.
The citizen army was up againstthe most powerful empire on the earth.
(13:24):
And the beginning.There was no hope of victory.
Yet there was hope in God.
And the foundation of the causewas an appeal to heaven.
I want you to listen to GeorgeWashington's prayer.
Quote.
If it is thy holy willthat we should obtain a place
and a nameamong the nations of the Earth grant
that we may be able to show our gratitudefor your goodness.
(13:44):
Bless us with a wisdom in our counsel
and success in battle in our victories.
Let me paint you a
picture of how America almost diedeven before it was born
and how George Washington saved itwith God's help.
Wisdom and his character
near the end of the war, hostilities
(14:04):
had not entirely ceased with Yorktown,nor had the peace treaty been signed.
So Washington in the ContinentalArmy, had to remain vigilant.
The men had left their farms and shops
to risk their lives for independence.
Not only had their farmsand shops suffered neglect,
but they were owedconsiderable back pay, land and pensions.
(14:27):
Many officers were on furloughfor the winter, but a number of those
who remainedwere seething with discontent.
During that cold, cloudyMarch of 1783, several began
to circulate a letter that called on theArmy to march on Congress.
Washingtoncaught wind of the officer's scheme
(14:49):
and quickly intervened,and he told them to assemble.
Now, this story shows Washington'swisdom and leadership, and it demonstrates
his character that inspired his mento love and to follow him.
This is what happened in High Noon
as the officers were assemblingprobably three or 400 of them in the room.
(15:11):
And the mood was ugly.
Mutiny was in the air.
Washington comes in the back doorand there he is, the man.
And as you know,the man is large for his time.
And he always made an impression.
He's showing his agenow from the years of stress.
And he looks out over the room
(15:32):
and he sees anger and frustrationon the faces of his officers.
So he'sthinking to himself, what can I do?
And so he he'll do this.
He reached in his pocketand he pulled out this letter
and he says, I have a letter
here from the Continental Congress.
(15:53):
And he looks around the room again
and he says, Well,excuse me for just a second.
And he pulls out a pair of spectacle
style reading glasses out of his pocketand put those spectacles on
for the first time ever in public.
The point is, he puts on the glasses
(16:16):
and the officers are startled.
They have never seen this side of him.
He had always been their rockthrough good times and bad.
And they were realizing in that momentthat this man that we all know
and love has perhaps sacrificedmore than any one of us.
And it's at this pointthat Washington delivers
(16:39):
this incredibly simplebut powerfully effective line.
Gentlemen, I've grown gray
in the service of my country.
This immediatelytranslated to their hearts.
I also have sacrificed and given my all
in the service of my country.
(17:01):
Also find myself growing old
and needing glasses.
It was then, at that moment,
the tenor in the room began to change
and Washington saves America an absolutelycritical and desperate moment.
One historian called this
the most critical momentin American history.
(17:25):
Washington was an inspired leader of men.
This painting, the Prayer at Valley
Forge, is a depictionof one of these moments of intense prayer.
It's a true story, too.
It's said that the local British royalscame across Washington
(17:48):
praying in the woods.
One cold, wintery dayduring that terrible winter of 1777.
The story is in this bookfrom original sources.
According to the story, Isaac Potts,a local British loyalist.
This is him here hiding behind the tree.
He stumbled on George Washingtonin a moment of prayer.
(18:09):
Witnessing Washington's devotion andresolve during these such trying times.
With a deep impression on Potts. It left.
This left.
This thing that stayed with him,
leaving him to reevaluate his loyaltiesand even switch to the American cause.
He went and told his wife,Honey, we're on the wrong side.
(18:32):
In 1783, the American Revolutionwas finally over.
The United States of America was freefrom British rule.
Washington was a hero.
Yet for Washington, what he had fought forwas to be a free man.
He simply wanted to return to his farmand be a private citizen.
So he resigned from the Armyand gave his farewell address.
(18:56):
It was some parting wisdomfrom the father of the new nation
in the farewell address,he highlighted key themes.
Forces he thought could destroyour democratic republic.
It contained three important warningsagainst getting entangled with.
Listen to this one.
Hyper partizanship.
(19:16):
Two excessive debt.
And number three, foreign wars.
Those are threatening forceswe're wrestling with today.
GeorgeWashington warned in that farewell address
that one who works to subvert or destroya public role
for religion and moralitycannot call himself a patriot.
(19:45):
One of Washington's favorite scriptureswas from Micah,
which says, Every man under his own vineand fig tree.
He often referred to it as his goalto only return to his farm
and live a simple life.
The phrase every man under his own vineand fig tree appears in the Bible
in three places, describesthe freedom and independence
(20:05):
that God's people enjoy under his rule.
To Washington, the phrase referredto living in peace and prosperity,
enjoying their own property of grapevinesand fig trees and the independence
of the private citizen farmerwho is free for military oppression.
To read, meditate, pray,and converse together.
(20:28):
George Washington was calledthe indispensable Man.
He wasn't allowed to go back to his farmfor very long.
Once again, his nation needed him to help
draw up this new constitution.
When asked to be the presiding officerof the Constitutional Convention, he said,
Have I not yet done enough for my country?
(20:49):
America is a new nation strugglingto make its new representative government
work in an ancient world still dominated
by royalty and kings.
So when this new constitutionwas finally drawn up
and there was a new executivebranch of the federal government,
of course, Washington was viewedas the only man
(21:11):
who could establish and definewhat the presidency was.
And he was unanimously elected asthe first president of the United States.
The man who could
have been king definedwhat the peaceful transition of power
looked like by stepping downafter only two terms
as president.
(21:33):
It was April of 1789and retired General George Washington
prepared to leave his farm in Virginiato set out for New York City.
This is not the first timehe's left the farm and loved ones behind.
This man had already donemore than his part because he chose
to step up and answer the calland be the one in his generation.
(21:55):
George Washington had a date with destiny,one that will change the world forever
by establishing a relationshipbetween God and America.
Based on the Book of Genesis.
This was a day of making a covenantwith Almighty God
for the United States of America.
A proclamation was made for the sacredgathering of Federal Hall.
(22:16):
Quote, Come and see your President.
Take his oath of office todaythat God will accept
this land as his.
At 9 a.m.,the bells rang throughout the city.
(22:41):
See what I have here?
It's commemorating an amazing event
that had never been done before.
This is the inauguration scenecaptured in sculpture
George Washingtonwith his hand on the Bible
that's opened to Genesis in the storyof God's covenant with Abraham.
We have a copy of that Bible right here.
(23:03):
It's George Washington's inaugural Bible.
He didn't just merely open the Bible,he opened it up and laid his hand
specifically upon the covenantGod made with Abraham
in the Book of Genesis and liftinghis other arm up toward heaven.
Washington made a vow to lead our nation
and honorthe God of Israel and His covenant.
(23:26):
After Washington invoked his oath andcovenant under the Lord He sealed it with.
So help me God.
And the crowd roared.
He then bowed his knee to the groundin reverence and kissed the Bible.
Washingtonwas deliberate in his actions that day,
and he fulfilled his destinyto start America out
(23:47):
based on the foundationof the Word of God.
So the point of this story is this.
When you pray for our nation,every prayer has to be based
on some kind of covenant with God.
(24:09):
George
Washington takes his place in history.
He insisted in his humble way onjust being called Mr.
President.
A revolution that began with
self-evidenttruths had given birth to a constitution
and a leader to preserve,protect and defend it.
This was not the end,but just the beginning.
(24:31):
And George Washingtonsaw it as a beginning based on a covenant
with the Almighty.
Immediatelyafter the inauguration, Washington called
the senators and newly electedofficials to join him, and they walked
arm in arm down the streets ofNew York to St Paul's Chapel.
Once they
(24:51):
were there, they bowed together,they prayed, and they dedicated this land,
our beloved America, to God.
The daywhen George Washington was inaugurated
was the day the covenant was invoked
and America belonged to God Almighty.
(25:12):
The first recorded
act of Congresswas to make a covenant with God.
We have the prayers that they prayed.
Now, not all, but some of themthat were prayed that day.
These are the prayerswe should be praying in our church.
When Ronald Reagantook the oath of office,
he turned to the 17th chapter of Genesis,just like Washington.
(25:34):
And I'm satisfied, knowing him,that he got that from Washington.
The first president,the first Congress, the first covenant,
the first act of governmentwas to enter into a divine covenant
with the almighty God.
America and Israel
have always been closely knit togetherwhere covenant people's
(25:55):
God made covenant with Israel, declaredtheir borders, made them a nation.
We became a free nationbased upon the principles in the book,
the principles of the Bible.
And we made covenant with God.
God never forgets His covenant.
My covenant will not break, noralter the words of God out from my mouth.
We have a covenant with God.
(26:21):
I pray for the nation.
God remembers His covenant.
George Washingtonbegan this nation with a covenant
and God'swaiting on someone to use this covenant.
So as Brother Copeland says, it'sAbraham, Isaac, Jacob and George.
This is the prayer that we are praying.
And I'm crying out to you in faith.
(26:43):
The book of Exodus sayshis people cried out to hear him
and he remembered his covenantwith Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
So we're invoking the covenantfor this nation in Jesus name.
Let's pray.
Heavenly Father,even as George Washington stood there
and prayed, Lord,we remind you of that covenant.
(27:04):
We remind ourselves of the covenantthat was struck that day.
And, Lord, we thank you for this nation.
We thank you for all that you've donefor us, the freedom that we live in.
And, Lord,
we remind ourselves of the covenantyou brought to us and our leadership.
And we thank you for it.
In Jesus name, Amen.
(27:26):
The Liberty Bell is inscribed with a quotefrom the Book of Leviticus that says,
Proclaim liberty throughout all the landto all the inhabitants.
And as Brother Copeland reminds us thatthey rang that bell until they broke it.
They cracked the thing.
They rang in so hard.
And that's what we plan to doproclaim liberty
(27:46):
all through this landbased on our covenants in the word of God.
Now, much of what we've talked about
is highlighted here in this bookby Brother Copeland and Greg Stephens.
God, the covenant and the contradiction.
You can go to kcm.orgfor more information on how to order.
(28:06):
Thank you again for watching RevivalRadio TV.
Let's keep in mind all that Goddid for this nation as we go forward.
Remember, be the one in your generation.
We'll see you next time.
Most people today would recognize this guyas George Washington,
and some might know himas the man who led the colonial Army
through the Revolutionary War that gainedAmerica's independence from Britain,
but most may not really know the real man,the real George
Washington, the Christian, and the facthe was a praying man.
(00:21):
He designed America's first flagan Appeal to Heaven flag that referred
to the belief that our rights come fromGod and not from man.
He also designed the famousBetsy Ross flag that represents
the early efforts of the American peopleto establish a new nation
based on principles of liberty, democracyand self-governance.
(00:43):
But it's this image, GeorgeWashington's prayer at Valley Forge
that best representsa man who had his faith in God,
and he was the right manin the right place at the right time.
He truly was someone who stepped up to bethe one
in his generation and deservedlyso, is called the Father of America.
(01:05):
His very first act as America's
first president was to establish
a covenant with God.
George Washington.
On this episode of Revival Radio, TV.
In every generationthere have been revivals,
massive moves of the Spiritthat changed the course of history.
(01:28):
In every revival,there were believers like you
who chose to answer the call
to become the one in their generation.
Discover your call to be the one
in your generation.
Today I want to tell youa be the one story that will take us on a
journey.
(01:49):
A journey from a farm in Virginiathrough the Revolutionary War,
past locations of hard won victoriesand discouraging defeats.
And every step of the way, Americaand George
Washington will move closerto a meeting with destiny.
The very first act
of America was to establish a covenantwith God,
(02:11):
a destiny that no other nationexcept Israel has done.
You know, referencing the founderstoday has become almost a punch line
for those on the left who mock the menand mark what they stand for.
But let's look into the livesof the founders and more importantly,
listen to their own wordsand what they accomplish.
(02:32):
These were the most brilliantand the most insightful political
philosophers and statesmen in one placeat one time
in the history of the world.
And here they were all sayingit was God who used us to do this.
So you have to ask yourself,were they all wrong?
No, of course not. They weren't.
(02:53):
And none were more impressivethan George Washington,
not because of his philosophyor his depth of knowledge,
but simply as a normal manlike you and me.
But he was firmly rootedand grounded in his faith, and he depended
on God, a God who he believedwas using him for his own purposes.
And George Washington realizedGod had a purpose for him
(03:17):
that was higher than his own.
Now, who better to tell you this storythan another great American,
Ronald Reagan, speaking from GeorgeWashington's home, Mount Vernon.
250 years after his birth.
Washington'sstar shines brighter than ever.
(03:39):
Our cause is noble, he said.
It is the cause of mankind.
Pursuit of liberty and justice under God
is still the most inspiring,the most successful,
the most revolutionary ideathe world has ever known.
Words alone cannot expresshow much we revere this giant for freedom.
(04:00):
Yes, he is first in our hearts
and will be first for all time.
If one word could describeall this man was
and all he meant,it might be indispensable.
He seemed to be carrying outa divine plan for America.
Washington was giftedwith a vision of the future.
He dreamedAmerica could be a great, prosperous
(04:21):
and peaceful nationstretching from ocean to ocean.
He hoped the deliberations at Philadelphiawould end with a declaration
of our independence.
He even designed and presented a drawingof the new American flag to Betsy Ross.
13 stripes and a circle of whitestars on a field of blue.
(04:41):
Never a passive leader.
Never an armchair general.
He was always in front of his troopsand his nation.
When the war was going badly,
his courage and leadershipturned the tide of history
our way and our first Christmasas a nation.
In 1776, he led his band of raggedcitizens shoulders
(05:02):
across the Delaware Riverthrough driving snow
to a victory that savedthe cause of American independence.
Their route of March, it issaid, was stained by bloody footprints,
but their spirit did not fade.
Their will could not be crushed.
Washington kept them going.
After the revolution,he wanted to return here to Mt.
(05:24):
Vernon,to be with his family, to farm, to hunt.
But he loved his country,and his country needed him.
The 13 former colonies were impoverished.
They were bickering.
They needed a constitutionso that they could become a union
of sovereign statesjoined to a central government.
The American
political experimentwas new to all human experience
(05:47):
and the world expected us to fail
If Washington had not steppedforward again, first
at the Constitutional Convention,
then as our first elected president,we might well have failed.
He was a man of deep faith who believedthe pillars of society were religion,
morality and bonds of brotherhoodbetween all citizens.
(06:08):
It has been written that the most sublimefigure in American history
was George Washington on his knees
in the snow at Valley Forge.
George Washington.
The farmer, the surveyor, the frontiersmanand the soldier.
Up until this generation,every school kid knew him
(06:29):
as the first American hero,as the father of our nation.
In fact, his image in Americais truly bigger than life.
But the man goes beyond the mythbecause he wasn't a myth,
and his honesty and his characterand his sense of duty were all true.
In many ways, George Washington embodieswhat's good about America's story.
(06:51):
So the left wants to tear that down.
Basically,
they don't tell about the good he did
things likehe was the only founder to free his slaves
and provide them with a pensionfor the rest of their lives.
In fact,it wasn't until the Progressive Era
in the 1920s when this book came out
that he tried to tear downthe image of Washington
(07:14):
and it spread the liethat he was not a Christian, but a deist.
If you've ever heard the left's narrativethat is now
taught as history about George Washington,
this is the actual book that beganthe lies about Washington.
They were quoted by historians, andthis book has no footnotes and no sources.
(07:35):
William E.
Woodward,the author who introduced the word debunk
into the English language and who createda new technique of biographical writing
that is actually fictionor outright propaganda.
Now, these books are the real story.
In his own words from original sourcesand footnotes
(07:56):
like the real GeorgeWashington, George Washington.
The Christian. The first inauguration.
Well, I'm here to tell you
and show you the real man, GeorgeWashington, who relied on God in prayer
from real history in these booksthat show that
the man using his own words.
(08:16):
And there are footnotes to these sources.
You see this little book.
This is the rules of civility
and decent behaviorwritten in his own handwriting.
Listen to this.
When he was 14 years old,
(08:38):
he hand copied 110 rules
or maximshe thought were important to master,
to have good character and functionas a man in a polite society.
This is rule number 58.
It says here, let your conversationbe without malice or envy,
for it's a sign of a tractableand commendable nature.
(09:00):
And in all cases of passionand reason to govern.
14 years old,
they'd actually be
great for young people today,don't you think?
They represent more than just manners.
They are small sacrificesthat we should all be willing to make
for the good of allin the sake of living together.
(09:20):
These rules proclaim
our respect for others and in turngive us the gift of self-respect
and heightened self esteem.
George Washington
was interestedin focusing on mastering his nature.
He had a strong temperand took tremendous control to master it.
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Give me an example of that.Let me tell you a story.
William Payne was the only manwho physically assaulted
George Washington and got away with it.
It was during one of the early electionsthat William Payne supporting
Washington's opponent and their discussiondevolved well into an argument.
And all of a sudden Payne reaches upand he knocks him to the ground.
(10:05):
Washington's fellowofficers were quick to step forward,
but Washington waved them off and said,No, it's okay, let him go.
And he went back to the endwhere he was staying.
Almost immediately, he set down,he wrote a letter saying to Mr.
Payne, I'd like to visit with youtomorrow morning.
Well, Payne was scared for his life,as you can imagine,
because if you're going to face George
(10:26):
Washington and his physical power,then you might be scared, too.
But when he showed up the next morning,
ColonelWashington did something unexpected.
He put forth his hand and said, Mr.
Payne, I'd like to apologizefor losing my temper
in an unprotected moment,and I hope we can still be friends.
And they stayed friendsthe rest of their lives.
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You see this little book?
It's a pocket sizedcopy of the Book of Common Prayer.
Ever since the Reformation, Englishmanand Colonials used
these little books in lieu of a minister.
Their prayers for everything in here,from the cradle to the grave, prayers
for repentance and healing and prayersfor the government.
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In fact,after the Revolutionary War, George
helped his wife, Martha, printa new American Book of Prayer
that added praying for the presidentand Congress instead of King George,
which was in the English Book of CommonPrayer.
But George Washington kepta personal prayer book with him at all
times, one that was his own prayerswritten in his own handwriting.
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Two prayers, one for mourning and one fornight for each day of the week.
This pocket prayer journalis actually reprinted in this book.
George Washington, the Christian.
He trained himself to be a surveyor,which meant
(11:56):
he spent a lot of time outdoorsin the wilderness, navigating the terrain,
learning how to hunt and to shoot,camping in the wild and interacting
with the native people.
This made him an expert frontiersman,not your typical city boy.
Also, it gave him all the skillsof an excellent soldier
even before he joined the army.
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He served in the British Armyduring the French and Indian War.
In fact,it was in a major battle in the wilderness
that he earned the nickname BulletproofGeorge Washington,
as documented in the bookThe Bulletproof George Washington.
God was looking out for himand protecting him for a higher purpose.
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Here is the Journal of Major GeorgeWashington, which documents his journey
to deliver a message to the Frenchduring the French and Indian War.
This book, printed during the war,made him a national hero.
Even before the revolution,
(13:00):
the harsh reality of the price for liberty
and independence became immediatelyevident through blood and treasure
as war broke out and Washingtonwas called upon to lead the citizen army.
The revolution that began
with self-evident truths immediatelycame up against the most obvious truth.
The citizen army was up againstthe most powerful empire on the earth.
(13:24):
And the beginning.There was no hope of victory.
Yet there was hope in God.
And the foundation of the causewas an appeal to heaven.
I want you to listen to GeorgeWashington's prayer.
Quote.
If it is thy holy willthat we should obtain a place
and a nameamong the nations of the Earth grant
that we may be able to show our gratitudefor your goodness.
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Bless us with a wisdom in our counsel
and success in battle in our victories.
Let me paint you a
picture of how America almost diedeven before it was born
and how George Washington saved itwith God's help.
Wisdom and his character
near the end of the war, hostilities
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had not entirely ceased with Yorktown,nor had the peace treaty been signed.
So Washington in the ContinentalArmy, had to remain vigilant.
The men had left their farms and shops
to risk their lives for independence.
Not only had their farmsand shops suffered neglect,
but they were owedconsiderable back pay, land and pensions.
(14:27):
Many officers were on furloughfor the winter, but a number of those
who remainedwere seething with discontent.
During that cold, cloudyMarch of 1783, several began
to circulate a letter that called on theArmy to march on Congress.
Washingtoncaught wind of the officer's scheme
(14:49):
and quickly intervened,and he told them to assemble.
Now, this story shows Washington'swisdom and leadership, and it demonstrates
his character that inspired his mento love and to follow him.
This is what happened in High Noon
as the officers were assemblingprobably three or 400 of them in the room.
(15:11):
And the mood was ugly.
Mutiny was in the air.
Washington comes in the back doorand there he is, the man.
And as you know,the man is large for his time.
And he always made an impression.
He's showing his agenow from the years of stress.
And he looks out over the room
(15:32):
and he sees anger and frustrationon the faces of his officers.
So he'sthinking to himself, what can I do?
And so he he'll do this.
He reached in his pocketand he pulled out this letter
and he says, I have a letter
here from the Continental Congress.
(15:53):
And he looks around the room again
and he says, Well,excuse me for just a second.
And he pulls out a pair of spectacle
style reading glasses out of his pocketand put those spectacles on
for the first time ever in public.
The point is, he puts on the glasses
(16:16):
and the officers are startled.
They have never seen this side of him.
He had always been their rockthrough good times and bad.
And they were realizing in that momentthat this man that we all know
and love has perhaps sacrificedmore than any one of us.
And it's at this pointthat Washington delivers
(16:39):
this incredibly simplebut powerfully effective line.
Gentlemen, I've grown gray
in the service of my country.
This immediatelytranslated to their hearts.
I also have sacrificed and given my all
in the service of my country.
(17:01):
Also find myself growing old
and needing glasses.
It was then, at that moment,
the tenor in the room began to change
and Washington saves America an absolutelycritical and desperate moment.
One historian called this
the most critical momentin American history.
(17:25):
Washington was an inspired leader of men.
This painting, the Prayer at Valley
Forge, is a depictionof one of these moments of intense prayer.
It's a true story, too.
It's said that the local British royalscame across Washington
(17:48):
praying in the woods.
One cold, wintery dayduring that terrible winter of 1777.
The story is in this bookfrom original sources.
According to the story, Isaac Potts,a local British loyalist.
This is him here hiding behind the tree.
He stumbled on George Washingtonin a moment of prayer.
(18:09):
Witnessing Washington's devotion andresolve during these such trying times.
With a deep impression on Potts. It left.
This left.
This thing that stayed with him,
leaving him to reevaluate his loyaltiesand even switch to the American cause.
He went and told his wife,Honey, we're on the wrong side.
(18:32):
In 1783, the American Revolutionwas finally over.
The United States of America was freefrom British rule.
Washington was a hero.
Yet for Washington, what he had fought forwas to be a free man.
He simply wanted to return to his farmand be a private citizen.
So he resigned from the Armyand gave his farewell address.
(18:56):
It was some parting wisdomfrom the father of the new nation
in the farewell address,he highlighted key themes.
Forces he thought could destroyour democratic republic.
It contained three important warningsagainst getting entangled with.
Listen to this one.
Hyper partizanship.
(19:16):
Two excessive debt.
And number three, foreign wars.
Those are threatening forceswe're wrestling with today.
GeorgeWashington warned in that farewell address
that one who works to subvert or destroya public role
for religion and moralitycannot call himself a patriot.
(19:45):
One of Washington's favorite scriptureswas from Micah,
which says, Every man under his own vineand fig tree.
He often referred to it as his goalto only return to his farm
and live a simple life.
The phrase every man under his own vineand fig tree appears in the Bible
in three places, describesthe freedom and independence
(20:05):
that God's people enjoy under his rule.
To Washington, the phrase referredto living in peace and prosperity,
enjoying their own property of grapevinesand fig trees and the independence
of the private citizen farmerwho is free for military oppression.
To read, meditate, pray,and converse together.
(20:28):
George Washington was calledthe indispensable Man.
He wasn't allowed to go back to his farmfor very long.
Once again, his nation needed him to help
draw up this new constitution.
When asked to be the presiding officerof the Constitutional Convention, he said,
Have I not yet done enough for my country?
(20:49):
America is a new nation strugglingto make its new representative government
work in an ancient world still dominated
by royalty and kings.
So when this new constitutionwas finally drawn up
and there was a new executivebranch of the federal government,
of course, Washington was viewedas the only man
(21:11):
who could establish and definewhat the presidency was.
And he was unanimously elected asthe first president of the United States.
The man who could
have been king definedwhat the peaceful transition of power
looked like by stepping downafter only two terms
as president.
(21:33):
It was April of 1789and retired General George Washington
prepared to leave his farm in Virginiato set out for New York City.
This is not the first timehe's left the farm and loved ones behind.
This man had already donemore than his part because he chose
to step up and answer the calland be the one in his generation.
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George Washington had a date with destiny,one that will change the world forever
by establishing a relationshipbetween God and America.
Based on the Book of Genesis.
This was a day of making a covenantwith Almighty God
for the United States of America.
A proclamation was made for the sacredgathering of Federal Hall.
(22:16):
Quote, Come and see your President.
Take his oath of office todaythat God will accept
this land as his.
At 9 a.m.,the bells rang throughout the city.
(22:41):
See what I have here?
It's commemorating an amazing event
that had never been done before.
This is the inauguration scenecaptured in sculpture
George Washingtonwith his hand on the Bible
that's opened to Genesis in the storyof God's covenant with Abraham.
We have a copy of that Bible right here.
(23:03):
It's George Washington's inaugural Bible.
He didn't just merely open the Bible,he opened it up and laid his hand
specifically upon the covenantGod made with Abraham
in the Book of Genesis and liftinghis other arm up toward heaven.
Washington made a vow to lead our nation
and honorthe God of Israel and His covenant.
(23:26):
After Washington invoked his oath andcovenant under the Lord He sealed it with.
So help me God.
And the crowd roared.
He then bowed his knee to the groundin reverence and kissed the Bible.
Washingtonwas deliberate in his actions that day,
and he fulfilled his destinyto start America out
(23:47):
based on the foundationof the Word of God.
So the point of this story is this.
When you pray for our nation,every prayer has to be based
on some kind of covenant with God.
(24:09):
George
Washington takes his place in history.
He insisted in his humble way onjust being called Mr.
President.
A revolution that began with
self-evidenttruths had given birth to a constitution
and a leader to preserve,protect and defend it.
This was not the end,but just the beginning.
(24:31):
And George Washingtonsaw it as a beginning based on a covenant
with the Almighty.
Immediatelyafter the inauguration, Washington called
the senators and newly electedofficials to join him, and they walked
arm in arm down the streets ofNew York to St Paul's Chapel.
Once they
(24:51):
were there, they bowed together,they prayed, and they dedicated this land,
our beloved America, to God.
The daywhen George Washington was inaugurated
was the day the covenant was invoked
and America belonged to God Almighty.
(25:12):
The first recorded
act of Congresswas to make a covenant with God.
We have the prayers that they prayed.
Now, not all, but some of themthat were prayed that day.
These are the prayerswe should be praying in our church.
When Ronald Reagantook the oath of office,
he turned to the 17th chapter of Genesis,just like Washington.
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And I'm satisfied, knowing him,that he got that from Washington.
The first president,the first Congress, the first covenant,
the first act of governmentwas to enter into a divine covenant
with the almighty God.
America and Israel
have always been closely knit togetherwhere covenant people's
(25:55):
God made covenant with Israel, declaredtheir borders, made them a nation.
We became a free nationbased upon the principles in the book,
the principles of the Bible.
And we made covenant with God.
God never forgets His covenant.
My covenant will not break, noralter the words of God out from my mouth.
We have a covenant with God.
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I pray for the nation.
God remembers His covenant.
George Washingtonbegan this nation with a covenant
and God'swaiting on someone to use this covenant.
So as Brother Copeland says, it'sAbraham, Isaac, Jacob and George.
This is the prayer that we are praying.
And I'm crying out to you in faith.
(26:43):
The book of Exodus sayshis people cried out to hear him
and he remembered his covenantwith Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
So we're invoking the covenantfor this nation in Jesus name.
Let's pray.
Heavenly Father,even as George Washington stood there
and prayed, Lord,we remind you of that covenant.
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We remind ourselves of the covenantthat was struck that day.
And, Lord, we thank you for this nation.
We thank you for all that you've donefor us, the freedom that we live in.
And, Lord,
we remind ourselves of the covenantyou brought to us and our leadership.
And we thank you for it.
In Jesus name, Amen.
(27:26):
The Liberty Bell is inscribed with a quotefrom the Book of Leviticus that says,
Proclaim liberty throughout all the landto all the inhabitants.
And as Brother Copeland reminds us thatthey rang that bell until they broke it.
They cracked the thing.
They rang in so hard.
And that's what we plan to doproclaim liberty
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all through this landbased on our covenants in the word of God.
Now, much of what we've talked about
is highlighted here in this bookby Brother Copeland and Greg Stephens.
God, the covenant and the contradiction.
You can go to kcm.orgfor more information on how to order.
(28:06):
Thank you again for watching RevivalRadio TV.
Let's keep in mind all that Goddid for this nation as we go forward.
Remember, be the one in your generation.
We'll see you next time.
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