The First Prayer of the Continental Congress (Bible Verses That Made America) Day 1 of 5

The Shot Heard Round the World (Bible Verses That Made America) Day 2 of 5

From Bible Verses That Made America by Robert Morgan April 19, 1775 The opening shots of the American Revolution were aimed at a preacher and his congregation, who, bolstered by Scripture, were ready for the moment. Jonas Clark preached in the village of Lexington, Massachusetts, “with uncommon energy and zeal.” His voice “extended far beyond the bounds of his meeting house and could be heard distinctly by those who were anywhere in the immediate neighborhood.”[1] Many of his sermons lasted an hour, and one of his public prayers extended beyond two hours.[2] But he preached Scripture, and he preached freedom. As the British occupied Boston, General Horatio Gates took out after Samuel Adams and John Hancock, who were sequestered in Pastor Clark’s farmhouse. Late on April 18, Paul Revere galloped in with news the British were coming. Adams and Hancock turned to Clark and asked if the people of Lexington would stand up to the invaders. The pastor replied, “I have trained them for this very hour. They will fight and, if need be, die under the very shadow of the house of God.”[3] The village awoke, and the seventy or so men mustered at the church. As the sky turned from black to gray, hundreds of scarlet uniforms appeared. For a moment the two sides were frozen in silence. Then a gun fired— the shot heard round the world. After the battle seven of Pastor Clark’s members lay dead under the windows of the church. Their innocent blood drenched the ground. “The teachings of the pulpit of Lexington,” it was said, “caused the first blow to be struck for American Independence.”[4] A year later, on the first anniversary of the Battle of Lexington, Clark preached a sermon from Joel 3:19–21, a passage in which the prophet condemned the nations of Egypt and Edom because they had attacked Judah and “shed innocent blood” in the land. Joel 3:19-21 “Egypt shall become a desolation and Edom a desolate wilderness, for the violence done to the people of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. But Judah shall be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem to all generations. I will avenge their blood, blood I have not avenged, for the Lord dwells in Zion.” To Clark, the attack of the British Army had been against innocent farmers and church members who wanted nothing more than peace and liberty. The American Colonies faced the same kind of hostile treatment Joel had condemned long ago, but the same God who helped Judah would help America. Clark went on to reassure his people that God was still in control. In the eloquent language employed by the colonial New England clergy, he said, To be impressed with a sense of the divine providence, to realize that God is Governor among the nations, that His government is wise and just, and that all our times and changes are in His hands and at His disposal, will have the happiest tendency to [produce] the most grateful acknowledgments of His goodness in prosperity, the most cordial resignation to His paternal discipline in adversity, and equanimity of mind in all the changing scenes of life. Inspired with this divine principle, we shall contemplate with grateful wonder and delight the goodness of God in prosperous events, and devoutly acknowledge and adore His sovereign hand in days of darkness and perplexity and when the greatest difficulties press. . . . Yea, however dark and mysterious the ways of providence may appear; yet nothing shall overwhelm the mind or destroy the truth and hope of those that realize the government of heaven . . . that an all- wise God is seated on the throne and that all things are well appointed for His chosen people— for them that fear Him.[5] In our days of sound bites and tweets, I find this old language refreshing. Apply these thoughts to your own life today— be impressed with a sense of God’s providence and remember He is Governor among the nations. Remind yourself that your times are in His hands and at His disposal. This will have the “happiest tendency” to produce grateful acknowledgment in your heart when things go well, and cordial resignation when things don’t go as you’d like. Nothing will overwhelm the mind of those who remember an all- wise God is still on His throne. __________ [1] William Buell Sprague, Annals of the American Pulpit, vol. 1 (New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1866), 515, https://archive.org/details/annalsofamerican01spra/page/515 [https://archive.org/details/annalsofamerican01spra/page/515]. [2] Sprague, Annals, 516. [3] Eleanor Lexington, “Clark,” The Spirit of ’76, vol. 11, no. 4 (December 1904), 41. [4] Headley, The Chaplains and Clergy of the Revolution, 82. [5] Jonas Clark, “The Fate of Blood-Thirsty Oppressors and God’s Tender Care of His Distressed People” (sermon, Lexington, KY, April 19, 1776) (Boston: Powars and Willis, 1786), 3–4, http://ota.ox.ac.uk/tcp/headers/N11/N11617.html [http://ota.ox.ac.uk/tcp/headers/N11/N11617.html].

The First Prayer of the Continental Congress (Bible Verses That Made America) Day 1 of 5

From Bible Verses That Made America by Robert Morgan September 7, 1774 Amid fear and rising tensions, delegates from across the Colonies arrived in Philadelphia on September 4, 1774, to convene the First Continental Congress. Before tackling the weighty issues of the day, they acted on a motion by Thomas Cushing from Massachusetts to begin their business with prayer. Samuel Adams nominated a local Anglican pastor, Jacob Duché, to lead in prayer, and the delegates agreed. About the same time, a rumor swept through Philadelphia, which later proved untrue, that Boston was being shelled by British cannons. So the next morning when the delegates assembled in Carpenter’s Hall for the agreed- upon prayer, they were tense and confused. In that room were such icons as George Washington, John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Patrick Henry. Duché opened his Anglican prayer book to the prescribed reading for the day, and the delegates instantly sensed the selection of scripture was providential. Psalm 35:1-4 Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!” Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! Duché then led in a powerful prayer, lasting about ten minutes, which has been called “the most famous prayer of the American Revolution.” [1] He said, in part: O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings and Lord of lords, who dost from Thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires, and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee . . . . Be Thou present, O God of wisdom, and direct the councils of this honorable assembly; enable them to settle things on the best and surest foundation that the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that order, harmony and peace may be effectually restored; and truth and justice, religion and piety prevail and flourish amongst the people. Preserve the health of their bodies and the vigor of their minds; shower down on them and the millions they represent, such temporal blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come. All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior.[2] According to accounts, many of the delegates were in tears, and some were on their knees.[3] It was as though the Lord Himself had come down into the room to receive the prayers of the frightened but determined revolutionaries. Duché’s prayer so braced the Continental Congress that he henceforth started each day’s session in prayer, becoming, in effect, America’s first Congressional chaplain. __________ [1] Kevin J. Dellape, America’s First Chaplain: The Life and Times of the Reverend Jacob Duché (Bethlehem, PA: Lehigh University Press, 2013), xiii. [2] Office of the Chaplain, “First Prayer of the Continental Congress, 1774,” United States House of Representatives, https://chaplain.house.gov/archive/continental.html [https://chaplain.house.gov/archive/continental.html]. [3] Dellape, America’s First Chaplain, 2.

Building Light (Nothing To Prove) Day 5 of 5

From Nothing to Prove by Jeannie Allen on YouVersion The world’s message is simple: You are enough. All on your own, you are enough. But that mantra fails us either because we deep down know we aren’t enough or because our self-esteem inflates and we charge through life independent of God and people. Either outcome leaves us lonely and disappointed. So why are we working so hard to do life, to make a difference all on our own? When I think about light, every single light humans have ever built requires energy or some force to light it. Lightbulbs drain and run out, even LED lights eventually. Flashlights, car lights, lamps…they all pull energy from some other source that can drain or become depleted. Then I think of the light God creates. Fire running wild, the sun burning always, bajillions of stars all burning with great force—all the light that He creates, it needs nothing to exist. It needs no other energy source. It just is. When I think of our striving, I realize we’ve been trying to build light. I’ve been trying to produce light. * We try to give God to people we love, strategizing perfect speeches rather than getting on our knees. * We try to control and protect our lives from suffering rather than trust that God has good for us in all that He brings. * We start to control and do everything ourselves rather than risk others’ involvement and their mistakes. * We go through tragedy alone because we don’t want to bother people, believing the lie that we don’t need others’ help in our darkest times. So what if instead of trying to create light, we simply received light? That sounds so much more fun to me, so much easier. We make lousy lights because we were built to enjoy and reflect light, not to produce light. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. – Matthew 5:14 The degree to which we believe and embrace our identity as a Spirit-filled child of God will be the degree to which His light shines through us. We are God’s and He is ours. That is our identity. And it changes everything. If we embraced our true identity, we wouldn’t just rest from striving to do impossible things; we would sit in awe of this fierce Light that is not contained and that is fully accessible to us.

The Great Exchange (Nothing To Prove) Day 4 of 5

From Nothing to Prove by Jeannie Allen on YouVersion Enjoying His grace does cost us something. One thing: death. Death of our old selves. Death of our pride. Death of thinking we can be enough on our own. It’s hard; it’s messy. You will hate it for a moment. But you know what happens in your soul? You get free. You know what happens when you are free? Other people are set free. When you put your dirt out first, everybody else gets to do the same. It’s contagious. Other people are freed through our honesty and confession. We don’t need to tell the world; we just need to tell a few warrior friends who won’t settle for our being plastic or fake. We expose our dirt because Jesus has the power to wash it and free us from bondage to it. God’s grace is exquisite and enough for the dirt that seems impossible to clean. Peter loved so passionately, and he made some of the biggest mistakes. He was prideful and passionate. We are just like Peter. And Jesus knows what Peter doesn’t know yet. You do need this. You do need my forgiveness. You don’t even know what you are capable of. But you need this forgiveness today. * I wash your fear that stops you from obeying. * I wash your shame that makes you hide. * I wash your performance that you think proves your worth. * I wash your arrogance that resists your need of forgiveness. * I wash your feet and set them on My path—a path of service, a path of love, a path of rejection, a path of suffering, a path of joy, a path of setting people free. A few hours after He washed the feet of Peter, Jesus chose to die on the cross to wash all our filth and dirt away. In one violent costly act, He washed us of all our sin. We were needy, and Christ paid the penalty of our sin so that we would be with Him forever. His blood in exchange for ours. Repent and believe. This is what it looks like to fill our souls with streams of living water, bread that does not ever leave us hungry again, and light that takes over the darkness. We are not defined by our worst or our best; we are defined by our God. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. – 1 John 1:6–8 We put out our dirt and we let jesus wash it and then we go tell everybody about it. Is your heart hard? Does God feel distant? This is the road back. Repent and believe.

All Because Of Him (Nothing To Prove) Day 3 of 5

Encountering Jesus in the past year has built this new way for me, this new path to knowing Him better and living in His strength and abundant grace and letting the Spirit work through me instead of striving. But this new way actually is coming back to old things. We come back to the simple, common graces of what it means to walk with Jesus. I have found this pattern in Jesus’s life, one I had never fully seen before. * He says, I am the Bread of Life. * He is the Bread of Life. We are not. * He says, I am the Light of the World. * He is the Light. We are not. * He says, I am the Way, the Truth. * We are not. * He is enough. We are not. I’ve lived so thirsty because I thought I knew where the water was. I believed it was on the other side of that ever-moving thick black line of expectations that begged me to cross it, and to get there I’d have to muster up the necessary resources from within me. I was trying to be bread and light and life and enough, and I couldn’t ever seem to do it. But what I thought was a great disappointment was actually the greatest mercy God has ever shown me. See, we rarely go to drink unless we are thirsty. To feel our thirst is one of God’s greatest gifts to us. To recognize our need for God is the beginning of our finding Him. He is enough, so we don’t have to be. In fact, it is downright arrogant to keep trying to be. The reality is that He is the enough we could never be. Lie He promised us in John 7 “If you are thirsty, come to me … I won’t only quench your thirst; I will cause streams of water to pour in you and through you.” All we crave in abundance is in Jesus… * Because Jesus is enough, we can experience true fulfillment. * Because Jesus is enough, we can live connected with Him and others. * Because Jesus is enough, we can rest. * Because Jesus is enough, we can risk for His glory. * Because Jesus is enough, we can trade fear for hope. * Because Jesus is enough, we can embrace grace. * Because Jesus is enough, we can live out our true calling. You can choose to live in these overflowing streams of His enoughness. Will you choose Him instead of living pulled along, missing your life, unable to take a deep breath? In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. – John 1:4 We cannot save ourselves. But this story has a hero. Will you let Him save you?