AMERICA'S FOUNDERS WARNED THIS COULD HAPPEN

The Two Things They Said Are Key for America's Preservation

Are the Two Things this Generation Has Rejected

“Our Republic is in peril, our justice system is broken,” NY Congresswoman Elise Stefanik just warned. Many in the nation’s capital agree with her as do millions across the heartland. I too agree. I am 76 years old and this is not the America that I grew up in. The moral decadence into which we have sunk as a nation has no parallels in our history. It is a dangerous time.

Because they understood the flawed character of human nature, America’s founders knew this could happen. They held no romantic, utopian view about America. They knew that certain characteristics would have to remain in place if the free Republic they formed was to survive, and they issued very direct warnings in this regard.

They did not fear an outside enemy destroying America; they feared the enemy from within. They would all agree with Abraham Lincoln who said, “If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author.” They feared a generation that would discard "religion" and "morality" and live with no transcendent moral compass. Such a generation, they believed, would destroy the American Republic.

The Warnings

In the quotes below, remember that when the Founders use the word "religion," they are referring to Christianity. Christianity was their religion. Without exception, they believed that only a moral and religious people could maintain the free Republic that had formed. And notice that they consistently couple "morality" with "religion" for they believed that morality could not be had without religion.

This is why, two weeks before signing the Declaration of Independence, John Adams wrote to his cousin, Zabdiel Adams, a minister of the Gospel, and said,

Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 164).

Twenty-two years later in 1798, President Adams gave a speech to the officers of the Massachusetts Militia in which he clearly stated his belief that only a Christian morality could maintain the free Republic he had helped establish. He said,

We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . .. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other” (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 164),

We now have a generation that, in the words of Adams, is “unbridled by morality and religion.” The Church in America must accept responsibility for this situation for we obviously have not been salt (restraining corruption) and light (dispelling darkness) to this generation, as Jesus called us to be in Matthew 5:13-14.

 Because of this loss of morality, our nation is becoming more and more chaotic, and our liberties are rapidly slipping away, as many push for more government control. Benjamin Rush, a Philadelphia physician, member of the Continental Congress, and signer of the Declaration of Independence, warned of this, saying,

The only foundation for a republic is to be laid in Religion. Without this there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 163).

George Washington gave the same warning in his 1796 Farewell address after serving two terms as the nation’s first president. He urged the new nation to maintain "religion" and "morality," which he called "indispensable" supports for national prosperity. Interestingly, he did not say that religion should be "tolerated," but that it is "indispensable" for the life of the nation.

He also warned against the false supposition, entertained by so many today, that morality can be maintained apart from religion [Christianity]. He called religion and morality “the great pillars of human happiness” and then said,

And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion [Christianity]. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle (Hyatt, 1726:The Year that Defined America, 165).

Thomas Jefferson was so impressed with Washington’s speech that he made it required reading at the University of Virginia, which he had founded. This should not be surprising for Jefferson too was convinced that only by embracing the moral teachings of Jesus and the New Testament could a nation enjoy both stability and freedom. He once said, “Of all the systems of morality that have come under my observation, none appear so pure to me as that of Jesus.” 

John Dickinson, chairman of the committee that produced the Articles of Confederation, warned that “when states lose their liberty, this calamity is generally owing to a decay of virtue.” When Thomas Paine, after being negatively influenced by the atheistic French Revolution, sent Benjamin Franklin a manuscript that attacked traditional Christian doctrine and values, Franklin refused to print it. He suggested to Paine that he burn it and said, “If men are so wicked with Christianity, what would they be if without it?”

The Founders Believed in Spiritual Awakening

Virtually every Founder, to one degree or another, was positively impacted by the First Great Awakening (1726-70). This fact led the late Harvard historian, Perry Miller, to say, "The Declaration of Independence of 1776 was a direct result of the evangelical preaching of the evangelists of the Great Awakening" (Hyatt, America’s Revival Heritage 2nd Edition, 67). Most Founders would agree with Samuel Adams, another prominent Founding Father, who believed such Awakenings necessary for the maintenance of  national religion and morality. 

For example, the late Dr. Michael Novak says that Adams believed: (1) Liberty cannot be enjoyed apart from virtue [morality] and (2) Virtue is unlikely to remain vigorous from one generation to another without "religious awakenings.” Novak goes on to say,

Far from  having a hostility toward religion, the Founders counted on religion [Christianity] for the underlying philosophy of the republic, its supporting ethic, and its reliable source of rejuvenation (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 171).

If American freedom is to be preserved and enjoyed by another generation, we must heed the warnings of the Founders. It is not too late. Several years ago, I experienced an unusual 7-hour visitation of God in which He assured me that America "could" see another great, national spiritual awakening that would save her from ruin. 

As documented in my book, America’s Revival Heritage 2nd Edition, America has experienced at least four such Awakenings. Such Awakenings, however, never begin at the White House. They begin at  God’s House when His people throw off the curse of wanting to be "liked" by the world and popular culture and begin taking seriously their responsibility to be salt and light to their generation (Matthew 5:13-14; II Chronicles 7:14).

Dr. Eddie L. Hyatt is the author of 1726: The Year that Defined America from which the above article was derived. His books are available from Amazon and his website at www.eddiehyatt.com. 

ARE WE PEACHING THE "GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM" TO THIS GENERATION?

Jesus, in Matthew 24:14, declared, And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. These words of Jesus should raise the question in our minds, "What is the "gospel of the kingdom?" It should also cause us to ask, "Are we preaching the gospel of the kingdom?" These are questions that I seek to answer in this article. 

The Kingdom of God is His Authority

From both Acts and the Epistles, it is obvious, that the preaching of the Kingdom of God was a primary theme in the early Church. In his very moving dialogue with the elders of Ephesus, Paul reminded them how he had gone about in their midst, preaching the kingdom of God (Acts 20:25). In describing Paul’s ministry while under house arrest in Rome, Luke says that he, Received all who came to Him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things that concern the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 28:30-31).

The Greek word for “kingdom” is basileia and the Hebrew word is malkuth. Both terms refer to the right and authority of a king to reign, rather than to the territory or people over which he reigns. Jesus told a parable to illustrate this, saying, A nobleman went into a far country to receive a kingdom (basiliea) and then return (Luke 19:11-12). The realm over which he wanted to reign was the place he left. He needed the right and authority to reign over that territory and went into a far country to obtain that right and authority.

Interestingly, an event like this had happened in Israel not many years prior to Jesus’ telling this parable. In 40 b.c., political conditions in Israel were chaotic. The Romans had subdued the country in 63 b.c., but stability was slow in coming. An Edomite by the name of Herod, who later became Herod the Great, travelled to Rome and talked the Romans into declaring him king. He literally went into a far country and received a kingdom, which was the right and authority to reign over the Jews in Judea. 

The kingdom of God is His kingship. It is His sovereign rule and authority, Psalm 103:19 makes this clear: The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. When Jesus, in Matthew 6:33, exhorts us to seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, He does not mean for us to seek a certain territory, people, or structure, but to seek His rule and reign in our lives  

The Kingdom of God and Pentecost

In describing one of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances before His ascension, Luke says that He spoke to them, of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). This was necessary because they had to understand the significance of His life, death, and resurrection, as well as the events of Pentecost that were soon to follow.

Indeed, first century Jews believed that Joel’s prophecy of an outpouring of God’s Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28-29) was to be part of the messianic kingdom that would be ushered in by the coming of Messiah. Peter made this point when explaining to the crowds the meaning of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Peter explained that what was happening was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, but he added the words, in the last days (Acts 2:17). Professor George Ladd says,

“The last days” in the prophets was the time of Messianic redemption when God’s rule will be perfectly realized among men, the Gentiles will be converted, and peace will reign in the earth. In other words, it is the kingdom of God.

Miraculous Gifts of the Spirit are Signs of His Kingdom

In explaining the meaning of events on the Day of Pentecost, Peter ties the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to the Right Hand of God. He points out that Jesus’ resurrection was the fulfillment of the prophecy of David who said, For you will not leave My soul in hell, nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption (Acts 2:27-28). Peter goes on to say, 

This Jesus God has raised up of which we are all witnesses Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear . . . Therefore let all the house of Israel know that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:32-36).

According to Peter, the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit in their midst was the sign that the Messiah was on His throne and now reigning. An Old Testament example of this is when Joseph, who was reigning in Egypt, revealed himself to his brothers who had betrayed him many years before. Joseph sent them back to Canaan with wagons loaded with gifts and supplies.

Joseph’s father, Jacob, had grieved for him these many years, thinking he was dead. When his older sons returned from Egypt and told him Joseph was alive, and he is ruler of all Egypt, Jacob did not believe them (Genesis 45:26).  However, when He saw the wagons loaded with gifts and supplies, his spirit was revived, and he realized Joseph was really alive and reigning in Egypt.

For Peter and the early followers of Jesus, the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit in their midst were signs of the Messiah being seated on His throne. They, therefore, used every miracle and answer to prayer, not for self-promotion, but as an opportunity to point the people to Jesus as the promised Messiah. Messiah’s throne, however, was not an earthly, political throne, but one in the heavens at the right hand of God. As David said in Psalm 103:19, The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.

The Church and the Kingdom of God

A simple way to understand the difference between “Church” and “Kingdom” is to remember that Church is “people.” The Kingdom of God refers to His “authority,” that is, His rule and reign. So, as the earliest Christians proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom—that the Messiah had come and was seated on His Heavenly throne—the Church emerged, being made up of those who embraced the Messiah and His reign. The Church is the body through which the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is to be proclaimed in all the world (Matthew 24:14). 

As mentioned at the beginning, Jesus, in Matthew 24:14, said, And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. I am here suggesting that the Gospel of the Kingdom will consist of the following five components.

5 Components of the Gospel of the Kingdom

1.  The Messiah has come, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies, and is now seated on His throne in the heavens at the right hand of God with all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 1:19-22)..]

2.   By virtue of Messiah’s redemptive death on the cross, God is offering amnesty and forgiveness of sins to all who will turn to Him in repentance and faith (Acts 20:21).

3.  The gift of the Holy Spirt is given to all who believe, and His manifestations are the visible signs that the Messiah is reigning on His heavenly throne.

4.  The rulers and people of this world will oppose the message of the Kingdom of God, meaning that those who embrace the Kingdom must expect persecution.

5. The Kingdom of the Messiah, which is now here in incipient form, will be fully consummated when He returns in power and great glory. Present reality/future consummation is the tension within which the early Church lived and preached the kingdom of God.

This article was derived from Dr. Eddie Hyatt’s latest book, Discovering the Real Jesus, scheduled for release August 1 and available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.

5 HISTORCIAL FACTS THAT VINDICATE GOVERNOR SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS' REFUSAL TO REMOVE THE CROSS

"Americans United for the Separation of Church and State," a liberal group that opposes Christian symbols and speech on public property, wrote a letter to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, telling her that the chalk cross her children drew on the driveway of the governor’s mansion was a “problem.” They claimed that the “religious display” violates the “Establishment Clause” of the U.S. Constitution and should be removed. 

Governor Sanders politely, but strongly, rejected their argument, saying,

Our founding documents are riddled with religious language—stating plainly that the very rights you claim to defend are “endowed by our Creator.” You are asking me to ignore that truth and hide a crucial part of my identity, and the identity of my kids. That, I will not do.

She was absolutely right to refuse their request and here are five historical facts that vindicate her decision. 

1)    The day after ratifying the First Amendment those same Founders proclaimed a Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving throughout the nation. They obviously did not see their words, “Congress shall make no law concerning the establishment of religion, or hindering the free exercise thereof,” to be restrictive of Christian expression.

2)    George Washington took the first presidential oath of office with his hand on a Bible. No one complained or accused him of violating the First Amendment for everyone understood the purpose of the First Amendment (articulated below in #5). By this act, he forever connected the presidential oath of office with the Bible and Christianity. 

3)    John Adams declared that the U.S. Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.  America’s second president made this statement in a 1798 speech to the officers of the Massachusetts Militia. He declared, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” When the Founders use the word “religion” they are referring to Christianity. Christianity was their religion. Adams obviously saw a profound harmony between the Constitution and Christianity.

4)    George Washington exhorted the new nation to cling to “religion and morality,” which he said are "indispensable" for political prosperity. He made this statement in his Farewell Address after serving two terms as America’s first president. He also called morality and religion “these great pillars of human happiness.” Note that Washington does not say religion should be “tolerated,” but that it is “indispensable” for the success of the nation.

5)    The so-called “Establishment Clause” of the First Amendment merely forbade Congress from establishing an official state church. Such state churches had been the norm in Europe since the time of Constantine. These churches, backed by the power of the state, used force to compel conformity to their doctrines and practice. The parents and grandparents of America’s founders had fled such oppressive state churches.

It is obvious that the Founders had no intention of restricting free speech, especially Christian speech, in the First Amendment. This was confirmed by Joseph Story (1779-1845) who served as a Supreme Court Justice for thirty-four years from 1811-1845. Commenting on the First Amendment, Story said,

We are not to attribute this prohibition of a national religious establishment to an indifference in religion, and especially to Christianity, which none could hold in more reverence than the framers of the Constitution (Hyatt, 1726:The Year that Defined America, 152).

“Americans United for the Separation of Church and State” clearly do not understand the U. S. Constitution and are out of sync with the vision of America’s founding generation. Governor Sanders is, therefore, right to stand her ground.

Dr. Eddie Hyatt is an author, historian, and Bible teacher with a vision to reconnect America with her roots of faith and freedom and her birth out of the First Great Awakening, This article was derived from his book, 1726: The Year that Defined America, available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.

AN IMPORTANT LESSON FROM BILLY GRAHAM'S DEFINING MOMENT

A defining moment is when a decision is made, usually in a time of crisis, that is the determining factor in how the rest of your life plays out. It is a momentous moment that determines your destiny. The following is the true story of Billy Graham and his defining moment.

The Crisis

Billy Graham and Charles Templeton were leading young evangelists in the 1940s. They were friends and they traveled and preached together during the mid-1940s in the Youth for Christ movement. Both had defining moments that took them in opposite directions.

Templeton attended Princeton Theological Seminary where he was exposed to liberal theologians who questioned the authority of Scripture, the deity of Christ, and other orthodox doctrines of the Bible.

He told Graham their faith was flimsy and urged him to study at a top seminary. When Graham declined, Templeton accused him of “intellectual suicide.”

Although he outwardly rebuffed Templeton’s challenges to his faith, Billy was inwardly troubled and plagued with doubts. Also, his ministry was floundering, which added to his uncertainty and distress. 

His Defining Decision

He finally decided he had to get alone and have it out with God. He went to a Christian retreat center called Forest Home tucked away in southern California's San Bernardino Mountains. There, he wandered among the tall pines and prayed and wrestled with his misgivings.

He finally sat on a tree stump and opened his Bible on a big rock. He prayed and pondered. Then from the deepest depths of his being he made a defining decision. He decided he was going to believe the Bible come hell or highwater. He may not understand some parts and unable explain other parts, but from that day forth he would forever believe that the Bible is God’s word to mankind.

The Rest is History

Everything changed. He arose with a settled sense of peace and confidence in his heart. His very next meeting began September 25, 1949, under a tent in Los Angeles where he preached God’s word with a new sense of passion, urgency, and boldness.

The crowds, however, were small; but then the newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst, an ungodly man whom Graham never met, sent a telegram to his editors and reporters telling them to, “puff Graham.”

Suddenly his tent meeting was being covered by all the major newspapers in the area. The crowds came, multitudes came to Christ, and the ministry of Billy Graham as we know him was launched. In what was probably a shot at Templeton, Graham said in one of his sermons,

"When God gets ready to shake America, he may not take the Ph.D. and the D.D. -- God may choose a country boy. God may choose the man that no one knows, a little nobody, to shake America for Jesus Christ in this day, and I pray that he would!"

Graham went on to preach to millions and fill the largest stadiums in America and broadcast worldwide on TV and radio. He became a counselor to presidents and known as "America's pastor." And Charles Templeton? He moved to Canada and worked in the Canadian media and died an atheist. 

Each had their defining moments that determined their destinies. 
Have you had your defining moment with God?

I include this story on my latest book, Discovering the Real Jesus, that is available from Amazon and our website at http://eddiehyatt.com.

WHEN GOD OPENS THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN

Peter and his business partners had fished all night and caught nothing. Things were not looking good for the fishing business. However, after loaning Jesus his boat from which to teach, and then obeying Jesus' command to launch out into the deep and let down his nets for a catch, something marvelous happened. It is what I am calling "the opening of the windows of heaven." 

Most of you are aware that this world's economy is very tenuous and unpredictable. Many economists are saying that the politicians are not dealing with the real problems, but are implementing temporary fixes that only delay the inevitable. Many are predicting a total meltdown of the global economy. 

Sue and I believe that God has shown us that there will be a collapse of the world economy, but that out of the rubble God’s people will see His providential provision arise. This providential provision and blessing I call “the opening of the windows of heaven.” Many years ago, God spoke to me with great clarity about this “opening of the windows of heaven” and it has been an incredible source of strength ever since.

God Gives Me a Promise

In 1976 I was reading a small book entitled The Authority of the Believer. Within the book was a quotation of Malachi 3:10, which includes the promise from God that He will open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. The phrase open for you the windows of heaven burned in my soul. I went to bed that night and it seemed as though I could actually “feel” that word in my soul in the same way food just eaten could be felt in the stomach. It was a very real experience.

I arose the next morning and began my devotional time in which I was reading through the Bible. However, I immediately sensed my heart beginning to burn with that phrase I will open for you the windows of heaven. I paused to consider whether I should continue with my devotions as usual or should I give attention to this burning in my soul. As I pondered this question, I glanced down at my Bible which was lying open on the floor. It had fallen open to 2 Kings Chapter 7 and the first words I saw were windows in heaven. I was astounded for I did not know there was another place in the Bible that spoke of the windows of heaven. This was incredible and I knew that God was speaking.

An Old Testament Example

I continued to read and found that this was the account of God’s supernatural deliverance of a city of Samaria that was besieged by the king of Syria and his powerful army. They had cut off all escape routes and blocked any food or other supplies going into the city. No one could go in and no one could come out. It was an impossible situation and hunger had reached the point that some in the city were turning to cannibalism.

It was in the midst of this desperate and impossible situation that Elisha the prophet (who was inside the city) made an incredible prophecy. He predicted that the very next day food would be sold at ridiculously low prices because of the abundance. An officer of the king of Israel (who resided in this city), heard Elisha’s prophecy and scoffed. Look, he said, If the Lord could make windows in heaven, could this thing be (I Kings 7:2)? Elisha replied that he would see it but would not eat or partake of it.

That same night four leprous, homeless men who lived outside the city gates decided that it was time to take radical action. They said to one another, Why are we sitting here until we die? They reasoned that if they went into the city they would die of starvation. They would also die if they remained in their present position. Why not go out to the camp of the enemy, they reasoned. The worst that can happen to us is that we will die. But if we sit here, we are going to die anyway.

So they began walking toward the enemy camp. As they marched forth, God caused the Syrian army to hear a sound of a large army marching toward them. They concluded that the king of Israel had hired the Egyptian army, and they ran in terror, leaving everything behind

The Windows of Heaven are Opened

The four lepers reached the camp and found food, clothes, gold and silver in abundance. They enjoyed a sumptuous meal and then they took gold and silver out and buried it. Then they went back to the city and informed the watchman on the wall of what they had discovered. The watchman informed the king and the king sent several men to check it out. It was as the leprous men had said. The Syrian army had fled leaving behind a massive storehouse of supplies.

As morning dawned and word spread that food was being sold at the gates of the city, there was a mad rush by a lot of hungry people. The officer of the king who had scoffed at the prophecy of Elisha was put in charge of the gate where the food was being sold. As the crowd rushed forward he was trampled under foot and died. The prophecy of Elisha was fulfilled in that he saw the widows of heaven open but he did not eat or partake of the miracle.

God’s Sudden, Supernatural, Abundant Provision

Out of this experience the opening the windows of heaven came to mean to me “God’s sudden, supernatural, abundant provision.” It is God breaking through from above into our present situation. It is God bringing about effects for which there is no human cause or explanation.

In the natural world there is the scientific law of cause and effect which says that for every effect there is a cause. For example, we work forty hours per week and get a paycheck. The paycheck is the effect and our forty hours of labor is the cause. We toil for hours digging, planting, weeding, and watering and the effect is a beautiful garden. It seems that nothing happens unless we do something to cause it to happen.

But when God opens the windows of heaven, He brings about effects for which there is no human cause or explanation. He breaks into our lives from above and produces effects that we have not caused. He provides in a way that is sudden, supernatural and abundant.

As I pondered all of this that morning so many years ago, I seemed to hear in my spirit, “I am going to open the windows of heaven on you and on everyone who supports you in what I have called you to do.” 

God Confirms His Word

Shortly after this experience, Sue and I were sitting around our kitchen table with several other people, including a white-haired, eighty-year old woman who was a long-time prayer warrior. As we lifted out hearts in prayer, "Sister Manetta" arose from her chair, came around the table, laid her hands on my head, and began to pray. After our time of prayer had ended she said, “The Lord told me to lay my hands on you and pray, and when I did, I saw two doors (windows) open over your head.” I excitedly replied, “Praise the Lord! He told me he would open the windows of heaven on me.”

Practical Steps to Seeing the Opening of the Windows of Heaven

As Sue and I have, for many years, sought to walk out God’s plan for our lives with integrity and a daily dependence on Him, we have seen Him fulfill His promise and open the windows of heaven in ways we could never have imagined. Out of our walk with Him certain principles have emerged that I will here share with you. They are, I believe, keys to seeing God open the windows of heaven in our lives in the days ahead.

1)      Always see God as your source.

Your job is not your source. Your government pension is not your source. These are channels that God uses to provide for you. God has many channels that He can use, but you must always see Him as your One and only Source.

2)      Ground yourself in God’s promises.

        Before we married, the Holy Spirit brought three promises to Sue’s mind that would characterize our lives together. All three are wonderful promises of God’s provision; Psalm 34:10, Psalm 84:11, and Philippians 4:19. We memorized those Scriptures, as well as others, and I speak them every day in prayer and praise to God. Memorize God's promises of provision and meditate on them every day until they are a part of your life. 

3)      Nurture an attitude of generosity.

I am not talking about a “give to get” religious legalism that often comes through in Christian fundraisers and telethons. I am talking about a heart attitude that wants to bless others and help those in need. There are many promises in Scripture related to the generous and those who give out of a pure heart. Jesus said, Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken down, and running over will be put into your bosom (Luke 6:38).

4)      Listen for God’s wisdom.

God’s provision often comes to us, but it will sometimes come through us. In other words, there are times that we will have to take certain actions to set in motion the miracle that is needed. Wisdom is defined as “the correct application of knowledge” and God wisdom working through you will bring blessing and favor into your life.

5)      Be the best you can be—diligence.

One thing that impressed me about John D. Rockefeller was that in his autobiography he tells about when, as a young man looking for his first job, he decided that he would put in eight hours per day looking for a job until he found one. This is known as “diligence.” At a significant time in our lives, God said to Sue and me, “Be the best you can be.” That is diligence. Proverbs 22:29 says, Do you see a man (or woman) who excels (is diligent) in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men.

Concluding Thought

Will God still open the windows of heaven? Will He do it for me? Absolutely! One of His Old Testament covenant names is Yahweh Jireh, which literally means the “The LORD will see and provide.” As we take Him as our Source and Provider, we will see Him open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings in ways we could never have imagined. We will not live in fear about the economy. As it says in Psalm 37:19 of those who trust in the LORD, In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. 

Dr. Eddie Hyatt is an author and Bible teacher with more than 20 published books on Revival, the Holy Spirit, and Church History. His books are available on Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.

WHY DID GEORGE WASHINGTON PLACE HIS HAND ON A BIBLE?

There was no law or precedent that said George Washington ought to take the first presidential oath of office with his hand on a Bible. He was free to take the oath with his hand on any book, or no book at all. No one, however, was surprised when he insisted on taking the first oath of office with his hand on a Bible.

When a person swears an oath, they swear by that which is greater than themselves. For Washington, the greatest tangible authority on which he could swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States was the Bible. He, therefore proceeded to take the first presidential oath of office with his hand on a Bible.

A Biblical Worldview

There were no complaints because Washington’s high view of the Bible was that of America’s founding generation. In fact, a ten-year study to determine where America’s Founders got their ideas for the nation’s founding documents, found that they quoted the Bible far more than any other source. Yes, they quoted ancient Greek and Roman writers and Enlightenment philosophers, but as Cleon Skousen stated, “The linchpin that united their thinking on every important principle was the Bible.”

Because they held a biblical worldview, they interpreted Enlightenment teachings in the light of Scripture. This is why the well-known Catholic scholar, Michael Novak, said,

Everywhere that reason led, Americans found the Bible. If they read Francis Bacon, they found the Bible. If they read Isaac Newton or John Milton, they found the Bible. In Shakespeare, they found the Bible. In the world of the founders, the Bible was an unavoidable and useful rod of measurement, a stimulus to intellectual innovation (Hyatt, 5 Pillars of the American Republic, 16).

The Bible’s profound influence on America’s founding was acknowledged in a December 1982 article in Newsweek entitled “How the Bible Made America.” It contained this insightful statement:

For centuries [the Bible] has exerted an unrivaled influence on American culture, politics and social life. Now historians are discovering that the Bible, perhaps even more than the Constitution, is our founding document: the source of the powerful myth of the United States as a special, sacred nation, a people called by God to establish a model of society, a beacon to the world (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 7).

Not Ashamed of the Bible

It is, therefore, not surprising that the First Continental Congress opened with an extended time of Bible reading and prayer.  As Rev. Jacob Dusche read the entire 35th Psalm everyone in the room was deeply moved and tears could be seen in many eyes. John Adams described the moving scene in a letter to his wife, Abigail. He wrote,

I never saw a greater effect upon an audience. It seems as if heaven had ordained that Psalm to be read that day. I saw tears gush into the eyes of the old, grave pacific Quakers of Philadelphia. I must beg you to read that Psalm (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 108).

The Founders’ respect for the Bible was highlighted when the first English Bible printed in America in 1782 included a recommendation from Congress. The producer of the Bible, Robert Aitken, had written a letter to Congress in which he asked for that government body’s sanction on his work. In the letter, Aitken called this Bible, “a neat Edition of the Scriptures for the use in schools.” Congress enthusiastically responded to his request and offered the following recommendation to be included in this first English Bible printed in America.

Resolved: That the United States in Congress assembled, highly approve the pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as subservient to the interest of religion as well as an instance of the progress of the arts in this country, and being satisfied from the above report, of his care and accuracy in the execution of the work they recommend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the United States and hereby authorize him to publish this recommendation in the manner he shall think proper.

Regarding the Bible’s influence on America’s Founders, Andrew Jackson, America’s 7th president, declared, “That book, sir, is the rock on which our Republic rests.” This was echoed by America's 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, who said, “No other book of any kind ever written in English has ever so affected the whole life of a people.” America’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, declared,

In regards to this great Book, I have but to say that it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this Book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man's welfare, here and hereafter, are found portrayed in it.

Washington and the Bible

So, why did Washington insist on taking the first presidential oath of office with his hand on a Bible? The reason seems obvious. He, and the founding generation, believed the Bible to hold the moral and spiritual truths that would guide the new nation and make it a peaceful, stable, and prosperous land.

Indeed, it was biblical moral principles that enabled the country to overcome slavery and Jim Crow, bring voting rights to women, defeat the old Soviet Union, and produce unparalleled prosperity for the largest number of people.  The contemporary rejection of the Bible as a source of spiritual and moral guidance does not bode well for the future of America and would cause Washington to turn over in his grave.

Dr. Eddie Hyatt has a passion to see America return to her founding principles of faith and freedom. He writes and speaks on the topic and this article was derived from his books, 1726: The Year that Defined America and Pilgrims and Patriots 2nd Edition, both available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.