“This glorious revolution...distinguished by so many marks of the              Divine favor and interposition...in a manner so singular, and I may            say miraculous, that when future ages shall read its history they                will be tempted to consider a great part of it as fabulous... Will it              not appear extraordinary...like the emancipation of the Jews from              Egyptian servitude?”
                              –Chief Justice John Jay, September 8, 1777
 
The Miracle of Brooklyn Heights
   On August 29, 1776, the British had assembled one of the largest invading forces in the history of the world to that point. Over four hundred ships transported 32,000 crack troops across the seas and deposited them in New York’s harbor. One witness said the harbor looked more like a forest as thousands of wooden masts rose into the sky.
  On the other hand, their opposition, the Colonial army, led by General George Washington possessed only 11,000 troops, of which 5000 were raw recruits, Connecticut farmers, who not only had no experience, but had not one hour of military drill! 
   Earlier on May 31, 1776 General Washington wrote his younger brother, John Augustine:
           “We expect a very bloody summer of it at New York ... We are not             either in men, or arms, prepared for it ... If our cause is just, as I
             do most religiously believe it to be, the same Providence* which              has in many instances appeared for us, will still go on to afford               its aid.”
 
Also, on May 15, 1776, General George Washington ordered:
          “The Continental Congress having ordered Friday the 17th instant               to be observed as a Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer,
             humbly to supplicate the mercy of Almighty God, that it would
             please Him to pardon all our manifold sins and transgressions,
             and to prosper the arms of the United Colonies, and finally
             establish the peace and freedom of America upon a solid and
             lasting foundation; The General commands all officers and
             soldiers to pay strict obedience to the orders of the Continental
             Congress; that, by their unfeigned and pious observance of their
             religious duties, they may incline the Lord the  Giver of victory to
             prosper our arms.”
 
  The Battle of Brooklyn Heights was the first major battle after America declared independence, and the largest of the entire war. Although the Americans fought bravely, by mid-afternoon, General Washington could only watch as 1500 Americans were killed or captured. In the natural, battle was lost. The Americans had been pushed back, and the British lay across their front, and the East river along their backs---they were trapped---like fish in a barrel, there was no way of escape!! The British could have mounted one last charge and not only would the battle have been lost, but the war would have been all but over! But…remember America was a praying people!
  As the Americans waited nervously to defend against the last charge, something happened---what was that something? Nothing! The British did nothing. For at least 4 hours of daylight, the they simply chose not to engage. Darkness descended upon the battle field, and the next day it began to rain.
  As the next day dawned, the British had their fleet up river ready to sail down the East river and complete the encirclement, anticipating the surrender of George Washington and the Colonial army—and once again, the end of the war;  ‘BUT’ the wind was against them that entire day. That evening, General Washington made one of his most daring moves of the war; he decided to evacuate the men across the East river—one mile across either way. At first his officers argued with him declaring it was impossible without being detected—they declared it is more honorable to fight to the death. However, GW’s word prevailed and the plans were drawn up.
   Providentially, some of the last regiments enlisted were from Massachusetts, and had been raised in small boats, who could put oars in and out of the water without a sound. General Washington assigned them as the oarsmen.
   A couple of hours into the evacuation, the storm passed, the clouds withdrew, and moon appeared, on a still summer night in August 1776. All night long, the Massachusetts oarsman worked their wonder. Although sound travels over water, and the British sentries within earshot, they heard nothing, and suspected nothing!
   At dawn, the miracle reached its apex. Both the British and Americans tell the story, but Major Benjamin Talmedge of the Continental army tells it best.
          “As the dawn of the next day approached, those of us who    
            remained in the trenches became very anxious for our own
             safety, and when the dawn appeared there were several
             regiments still on duty. At this time, a very dense fog began to
             rise off the river, and it seemed to settle in a peculiar manner
              over both encampments. I recollect this peculiar providential
             occurrence perfectly well, and so very dense was the
              atmosphere that I could scarcely discern a man at six yards
              distance ... We tarried until the sun had risen, but the fog
              remained as dense as ever.”
 
   Now…watch this, all ye doubters and unbelievers in America!!! Each boat could only fit 10-12 men, and under the cover of fog, back and forth they rowed until late that morning!! The fog lifted at precisely the moment the last American soldiers left the shore!! As the final boats pushed away, one of them carrying General George Washington, the British sentries finally seeing what was happening, ran down to water’s edge to fire a couple hapless shots, for the American boats were out of range. Over 9,000 men were delivered that day!
 
The British wrote in their diaries, “The hand of God is against us!”
 
      For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion(shelter)                                                                                                            -Ps27:5
 
General George Washington wrote even before this miracle, August 20, 1778:
          “Undergoing the strangest vicissitudes that perhaps ever attended             any one contest since the creation...the Hand of Providence has               been so conspicuous in all this — the course of the war — that                 he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith ... But it will be                  time enough for me to turn Preacher when my present          
​             appointment ceases.”
 
YES…the hand of God has been, and is yet upon, this great nation!!!
 What God has blessed…no man can curse!!!
 
*See last week’s tidbit, the Four bullets, to understand to what providence he refers.

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Skill and confidence are an unconquered army." George Herbert

   One of the great miracles not only of the founding, but in American history is the miracle of exposing the traitor Benedict Arnold. Interestingly, because of his incredible leadership at the battles of Fort Ticonderoga and Saratoga, Benedict Arnold was on the path to becoming one of the greatest generals of the War for Independence ….and then, there was the love of money!  
   Integral to the diabolical plot was Peggy Arnold, the wife of General Arnold. On September 25,1780, the very day General Arnold’s plan of betrayal was exposed, ironically, (I call it providentially), Generals Washington, Knox, and Lafayette, along with their aides, were scheduled to meet with Benedict Arnold at his house, where his wife had prepared breakfast. General Arnold sat at the table as the guests arrived, minus General Washington, who, once again, as providence would have it, decided to make a short stop.
   Suddenly, a courier arrived with important news for General Arnold. As he read the notes that Major John Andre had been captured the night before, along with the General’s papers of betrayal describing West Point’s weaknesses and points to attack; along with the passes possessing his own signature, he immediately excused himself from breakfast, ran upstairs told Peggy, and scurried for the British lines. Believing they would not be prosecuted, Arnold left his wife and new born son. It was not for 200 years that the real truth surfaced regarding Peggy Arnold’s involvement.
   Although she had been ‘friends’ with George Washington from the age of 14, distraught with the colonials, and a secret British loyalist, Peggy began telling Arnold he was under appreciated. All the incredible sacrifices he had made, daring leadership in winning battles, were going unnoticed—she incessantly whispered in his ear; all the while secretly communicating with  Major John Andre, of the British army. As her ‘Delilah-like words’ took root in General Arnold’s foolish heart, he slowly began to turn. However, when he learned of the 20,000 pounds offered by the British, equivalent to one million dollars in today’s currency, he went over to the dark side. On August 30, 1780, he made his final decision to abandon all character, and began to draw-up the plans to deliver West Point, which would have included George Washington, into the hands of British General Henry Clinton. The capture of West Point would have divided the colonies in half; and without Washington, the war would have been all but over…and America a faded dream!!
   However, the God who pre-determined a plan and purpose for America’s birth; for Black people; and for the world—showed Himself strong through a mighty deliverance!!! General Arnold forgot Americans were a praying people; and our God, ‘the’ prayer answering God! On November 11,1779, the Continental Congress* issued a public proclamation of prayer, which Thomas Jefferson, then Governor of Virginia, chose to join. The prayer declared:
        “Congress...hath thought proper...to recommend to the several
           States...a day of public and solemn Thanksgiving to Almighty
           God, for his mercies, and of Prayer, for the continuance of his
           favour...
           That He would grant to His church, the plentiful effusions of
           Divine Grace, and pour out His Holy Spirit on all Ministers of the
           Gospel;   That He would bless and prosper the means of
            education, and spread the light of Christian knowledge through
            the remotest corners of the earth...”
 
   On April 6,1780, George Washington gave his consent for his troops to join with this prayer proclamation, and I repeat, by the government of the United States!!! So yes…the prayers of the righteous contributed to America’s great deliverance on that fateful day!
 After returning from their secret meeting with General Arnold in the woods in the dead of night, British spy John Andre and Joshua Smith were travelling back through colonel lines carrying the infamous papers. Suddenly several colonists popped-out with guns, demanding the two stop, and dismount their horses. The colonists then proceeded to search them from head to toe—even removing their clothing. Finding nothing, they decided to release them. Suddenly, they decided to search them a second time; from head to toe they poked, prodded, shook, and dangled. Finding nothing again, they decided to release them a second time. However, for some unknown reason**, they decided to search them a third time. This time, in the one place they missed, a hollowed heal of the boot of Major John Andre, the American sentries discovered hidden maps of the West point betrayal! The treachery of Benedict Arnold was exposed!!!
   Interestingly, the sentries immediately rushed their findings to their commanding officer---guess who that was? If you guessed Benedict Arnold, you win a prize!!***
   Hollywood could not have created this script!!! Ohhhhh…but for the providence of God!!
 
-This miracle is evidence for a prayer answering God, Who delivers His
​   people!
-This miracle is a sign of God’s providence upon America!
-This miracle is the foundation for American exceptionalism!
    …for all who choose to believe!!!
 
God has blessed America! …from White to Black, rest assured…
…what God has blessed, no man can curse!
…what God has blessed, no nation can curse!
…what God has blessed, no political party can curse!
…what God has blessed, no movement can curse!
…what God has blessed, no movie star (or starlet) can curse!
…what God has blessed, no multi-million dollar athlete can curse!
 
  

*Notice this says the Continental Congress!! The government of the United States declared public prayer for the colonies!!!!  Notice too, Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, and to whom the term ‘separation of church and state’ is attributed, joined Virginia to this national prayer proclamation!!
**We all know the “unknown reason” is the providence of God.
***And very wisely they sent originals to George Washington, who as providence would have it, was at Benedict Arnold’s home!



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 “The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army.”     -General George Washington, 7/1776
 

The miracles that so frequently occurred at the beginning of our nation’s founding help establish:
         1.God intervened to create America!
         2.God’s hand is ‘still’ upon America!
 
The Miracle of Four Bullets
   In the mid-eighteenth century, war broke out between King George II of Britain, and King Louis XV of France, called the Seven Years War. It spilled over into America as the French and Indian War.
   On July 9, 1755, while marching through the forests near the Monongahela River, in present day Pennsylvania, to attack the French Fort Duquesne, the 22-year old George Washington, a colonel in the British military at the time, and 1400 troops, under the lead of the pompous and arrogant General Edward Braddock, were ambushed by a combined force of French and Canadians, along with Potawatomi and Ottawa Indians. Only accustomed to fighting in open fields, the British were annihilated! Within a short time 900 of the 1400 soldiers perished at what’s now known as the Battle of Monongahela; or what probably should be called, The Massacre at Monongahela!
    Before General Braddock was killed, he commissioned Colonel Washington to ride back and forth giving orders to other parts of the British line. Let me repeat that—Colonel Washington rode through a hail of bullets multiple times! Adding more complexity to the equation are three important variables:
          1.Prior to the battle, the enemy agreed to target the British officers
          2.George Washington was riding a White horse, and he was 6’3”
             tall at a time when the average American was 5’7”!
          3.Every horse-mounted officer was killed except one. Guess who?
 
After the Battle, and rumors quickly spread that all perished, to bring peace of mind, George Washington wrote to his brother John Augustine Washington on July 18, 1755:
       As I have heard, since my arrival at this place, a circumstantial    
       account of my death and dying speech, I take this early opportunity
        of contradicting the first, and of assuring you, that I have not as yet
        composed the latter. But by the All–Powerful Dispensations of
       Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or
        expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two
       horses shot under me, yet escaped unhurt, although death was
       leveling my companions on every side of me!*
 
Fifteen years after the conflict, Washington providentially met one of the Indian Chiefs who explained his role in the battle. Through an interpreter the Chief declared:
      “I called my young men and said, mark yon tall and daring warrior    
      (referring to Washington). Himself is alone exposed. Quick, let your
       aim be certain, and he dies. Our rifles leveled, rifles which, but for
       you, knew not ow to miss---t’was all in vain, a power mightier far
       than we shielded you. Seeing you were under the special
       guardianship of the Great Spirit, we immediately ceased to fire at
       you…I  am come to pay homage to the man who is the particular
       favorite of Heaven, and who can never die in battle.”**

   For all the doubters who may be thinking, “Well, Pastor Jackson, his coat was flopping open and the bullets simply pierced his coat while he was riding!” On the contrary, remember, Washington was a soldier, and especially a British soldier! It is part of a soldier’s discipline to wear his uniform properly--in other words, it was not possible for his coat to have been unbuttoned!!!
   Nope…No excuses!! God is real…and His power to deliver in the time of trouble is real! In order to make this miracle irrefutable, the Sovereign God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, caused four bullets to penetrate George Washington’s coat--while it was buttoned--yet those bullets could not penetrate his body—they simply disintegrated or bounced off!
  In conclusion, why would God work this kind of miracle? Very simply, two reasons:
    1.He ordained George Washington to be America’s first president!
     2.He sovereignly ordained America to be a nation!
 
If you are an American citizen…be excited—and be proud!!! You are part of something great…something God supernaturally ordained!
 
     Always remember, when listening to our contemporary liberal America-hating culture--what God has blessed, no man can curse!!!
  God has indeed blessed America!!!
   
*The Bulletproof George Washington, David Barton
** The Bulletproof George Washington, David Barton
 
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The ability to deal with people is a purchasable commodity as sugar or coffee, and I will pay more for that ability that any other under the sun.
-John D Rockefeller