Welcome to Affirm Foundation, presented by Princeton ministries with Dr. Ken Smith. This is Carol Smith, Ken’s wife. Please enjoy.

It has been said of George Washington that he was first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen. Perhaps there is no greater American who has been more respected than George Washington, but we live in a day where it has become very fashionable to take potshots at heroes. And as a matter of fact, many of our heroes today are being replaced by what might be referred antiheroes, heroes. I don’t know if you noticed, this week Forbes magazine listed the most wealthy people in the world. Listed for the first time in that impressive list are two billionaires, young men and what is their occupation? Drug dealers. There is something in our culture that is beginning to redefine success.

And for many of those who in previous generations were considered to be heroes, there have been very critical eyes taken to show their feet of clay. And in the case of their not being able to find feet of clay, on some occasions, feet of clay have been invented. Example, you have heard that George Washington had a mistress, and there is a rumour that says that he died of syphilis. In reality, there is no truth, no evidence to support that claim. Several years ago, the national television networks presented a story on the life of Christopher Columbus. And in the middle of that presentation, they introduced a love affair outside of marriage that Christopher Columbus was involved with. And as I was looking at this supposed accurate historical presentation, it seemed peculiarly out of place with everything else that they were presenting about Columbus.

Later, people who were concerned about Columbus asked the network, where did they get the information about his affair? They simply said it was made up to make the story a little more spicy. We’re living in a day where many of the many documentaries that are shown on television are filled with innuendo or character assassination that may or may not be true. And if we would learn history from watching television, we must be very careful. George Washington, at his death, the Duke of Wellington, who I would remind you was an enemy of Washington during the war, said this of Washington, the purest, the noblest character of modern time, possibly of all time. The Duke of Wellington, an enemy, said that about Washington. Now, certainly Washington stands out as an exceptionally great character from history, but the question is, why?

What was the quality in his life that made him so outstanding? Certainly there were other generals who were greater. There were other statesmen who were wiser. Why has Washington captured such an elevated position in history? Well, in a book entitled George Washington the Christian, by William Johnson, he says, and I quote, research disclosed that the supreme factors in Washington’s life was an unwavering faith in God and a strict adherence to Christ’s teachings. He says research has shown that to be the case. Now, as we begin to look at the life of Washington and to see what the facts are, we find ourselves first to the family tree. And as we search the boughs of this family tree, we find that Washington came from a long line of godly people. His great grandfather was a clergyman in the Church of England.

His grandfather was known for his piety, his sincerity, his Christian commitment. He founded a parish, or presbytery, which was then called the presbytery or parish of Washington. His grandfather was a committed Christian. His father was a vestryman, the equivalent of an elder in the Presbyterian church, his father in the Church of England a vestryman. And he took that position when George Washing was three years old. Both his father and his mother were dedicated christians. Now, when George was eleven years old, his father died. And one woman who lived in the home of Washington for some 50 years, she stayed in the home of Washington’s parents for those 50 years, said this of Washington’s mother, every day following breakfast, Georgia’s mother took 1 hour. She retired to her room, and she spent that time in prayer and Bible reading.

In that hour, she would often take her children. And throughout the day, especially in the evenings, she taught George how to pray. She taught him to read the scripture. She introduced him to the book of Prayer of the Church of England. And she also introduced her son to what are referred to as devotional books of the day. Perhaps the most noteworthy was a book entitled Contemplations, Moral and Divine by Sir William Hale. It was in this book that the principles of Christian living were listed. That book was kept by Washington all of his life. Upon his death, it was found in his personal library, worn and with many underlines. It’s believed that to his last days, it was a book that he referred to. It’s also believed that undoubtedly, somewhere before the age of 20, George Washington made a commitment to Jesus Christ.

Now, in April 1891, there was an auction in Philadelphia, and there was a remarkable collection of Washington’s personal effects that were auctioned at that time. Among those articles which had been kept by his heirs for several generations, was found a small manuscript. It was a small book. It was in the handwriting of George Washington. It was written when he was about the age of 20. It was entitled Daily Sacrifice. Now, as you read through this volume, it’s a collection of Washington’s personal prayers. And one thing that strikes you immediately as you read these handwritten prayers is the sincerity, the tremendous earnestness, and the evangelical language in which they were penned. Someone has said that the prayers are characterized by a deep consciousness of sin and a need forgiveness, and also by a recognition of dependence upon the work of Jesus Christ for salvation.

Listen to several of these prayers written by hand at around the age of 20 by Washington. O most glorious God in Jesus Christ, my merciful and loving father, I acknowledge and confess my guilt in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I have called on thee for pardon and forgiveness of sins, but so coldly and carelessly that my prayers are become my sin and stand in need of pardon. I have heard thy holy word, but with such deadness of spirit that I have been an unprofitable and unforgetful hearer, so that, o Lorde, though I have done thy work, yet it hath been so negligently that I may rather expect a curse than a blessing from thee. What was the sin that young Washington was asking forgiveness of? This was penned on Sunday evening after he had gone to church.

He was asking forgiveness for the deadness of his prayers. He was asking forgiveness for the coldness in his heart of worship. He was asking forgiveness for having completed the work of ministry that he knew was required of him. But upon that Sabbath day, he felt that he had executed it in a cold way. How many times have you and I gone on a Sunday evening and asked forgiveness for our coldness in worship, for the lack of depth of our prayers? Or take this second prayer. Let me live according to those holy rules which thou hast this day prescribed in thy holy word. Make me to know what is acceptable in thy sight and therein to delight. Open the eyes of my understanding. Help me thoroughly to examine myself concerning my knowledge, faith, repentance. Increase my faith.

Direct me to the true object, Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life. Direct my thoughts, words, and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the lamb. Purge my heart by thy Holy Spirit from the dross of my natural corruption. Increase my faith in the sweet promises of the gospel. Give me repentance from dead works. Pardon my wanderings. Direct my thoughts unto thyself, the God of my salvation, but daily frame me more and more into the likeness of thy son, Jesus Christ. These prayers, the record of a young man at around the age of 20. How many young men do you know who pray with such devotion, who are concerned with the spiritual things of Christ who desire to live according to God’s word. By the age of 20, Washington was that type of young man.

Now, as his prayer diary would certainly direct us to his internal beliefs about Jesus Christ and the gospel and the scripture, it is another thing to see that worked out in the fruits of a life. And in George Washington, we find that there is more substance of true faith than there is the parade of piety that so often marks our own day. James said, you will see my faith by my works. Jesus said, you will know my disciples by their fruit. What was the fruit of this profession that Washington made? Well, let’s look more closely at the reality of the evidence of Washington’s life. When he was 21 years old, he was the commander of the troops at fort necessity. It was his practice every sabbath to gather those troops and to lead them in public worship.

For three years, he was the commander in chief of the armies of Virginia. For two of those years, he was unable to have a chaplain assigned to his troops. And so what did he do for those two years? As a young man, he led his troops in worship. He led them in prayer. He led them in the reading of scripture. After the war, the French and Indian war was over. Washington was then elected as a vestryman or elder in his local church near Mount Vernon. Now, as they look at the presbytery records, they find that for Washington there was an unusually high attendance rate as an elder at the presbytery meetings compared to other elders, and this in the time when Washington was involved in many public duties.

His record of diary shows that often he recorded that he had to attend the work of presbytery upon that day, and he planned to be there. He fulfilled all of his ordination vows as a vestryman or elder, and he served as an elder for over 20 years in faithful service in the Church of England. The Reverend Lee Massey was the rector of the parish where Washington worshipped. And he said, and I quote, I never knew so constant an attendant on church as Washington. Now, often at Mount Vernon, there were overnight guests, and on the Sabbath, rather than to take as an excuse that he would not go to church, it was the custom of Washington on the Sabbath to gather his household of guests early. They would have breakfast, and then he would invite them to come to church with him.

And it was unusual when his carriage was not full of guests as he brought them to church to worship. His diary shows a tremendous commitment to be at church on the Sabbath day. His family says that all meals were introduced with grace, and his records of diaries show that there were many occasions where he fasted all day for some spiritual purpose. It was in the shadow of the church in the summer of 1774, following the morning worship, that Washington declared that he would fight for independence. At the close of the worship service and as the commander in chief of the army in the Revolutionary War, one of the first acts that he performed was the appointment of chaplains to each regiment. On July 9, 1776, Washington issued the following order.

The general hopes and trusts that every officer and man will endeavor to live and act as becomes a Christian soldier. Cursing and profanity were forbidden. As a matter of fact, for a soldier to curse or to use profanity in the mind of Washington was seen as an act of treason, as they would invoke a curse, knowing that God would be displeased with an army that cursed. In his personal life, its Washington’s habit each night to retire to his library at 09:00 he would stay there for 1 hour. He would go with a lighted candle and seclude himself in that room. On a number of occasions, there is testimony of family and friends who, not knowing the activity in which Washington was engaged, opened the door to gain his attention. And what did they see documented over and over again?

They found him on his knees in front of a chair with a candle on the nightstand, praying before an open Bible. This was the custom that he had learned from his mother. It was also the custom that he continued in his life as a Christian. At Valley Forge, he was found many times by both friend and foe, quietly on his knees in prayer. The record of one Tory who was an enemy of Washington is that at Gettysburg at Valley Forge, he passed by and he saw a man on his knees, and he watched, and he recognized him as Washington. He went home and he said to his wife, we surely will lose because of the qualities of that man.

His diary contains frequent entries not only of his regular attendance at church, but also, he collected sermons which were then read in the evening to his family. And what did he do when he took the oath of president, the first president of the United States? He bowed reverently, he kissed an open Bible, and then he led the Senate and the House of Representatives to the church, St. Paul’s Church, where they worshiped for 2 hours. Five months later, as president, he initiated the thanksgiving proclamation to recommend to the people of the United states a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of almighty God. What was the judgment of people who knew Washington personally? Chief John Marshall, who was a personal friend, said this without making ostentatious profession of religion.

He was a sincere believer in the Christian faith and a truly devout man. Timothy Dwight, president of Yale, in a book entitled the character of Washington, said, I shall only add that if Washington was not a Christian, he was more like one than any man of the same description whose life has been written. Jonathan Sewell, a friend, said he was a firm believer in the Christian religion. But perhaps the most helpful insight comes from his adopted daughter, Nellie Custis, who lived for over 20 years in the home of Washington. And she said this, I should have thought it the greatest heresy to doubt his firm belief in Christianity. His life, his writings, prove he was a Christian.

From his adopted daughter, a nephew who lived in the home of Washington, said that even though Washington himself successfully fought through the French and Indian war, even though he was the winning general of the American Revolution, he served two terms as president, voted unanimously. He never once heard in his home Washington speak about any of those events, and that he never once boasted about any of his accomplishments. When he was 86 years old, Washington closed his eyes for the last time on this earth. His last words, I am dying, gentlemen. But thank God I am not afraid to die. Tis well. And the final words, father of mercies, take me to thyself. What shall we say about Washington? I must admit that in reading his life, I was struck by his devotion and his willingness to stand for the things of Christ.

He was willing to call his mendenna to clean their language. He was willing to call armies to worship. He was willing to call his troops to the reading of the scripture. As I read the life of George Washington, I am personally humbled as I look to my own self and ask, how much will I obey Jesus Christ? How much will my life practically reflect the teachings of Jesus? But perhaps for some of you, it’s not a vital question. Was George Washington a Christian? But I think there is a vital question for you. Are you a Christian? Have you given your life to Jesus Christ? Do you believe that your sin was on the cross when Christ was suspended upon that cross, and that his blood, as it was shed for your sin?

Do you believe that Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day? Do you believe that he will return? If you say no, then I would invite you this moment to become a Christian, to trust in the gift of grace thats freely offered to all who would receive. And if you are a Christian and you’ve made that commitment to Christ, does your life reflect that commitment? If you never again said you were a Christian and historians were documenting your activity 200 years later. Would the document show the weight of that evidence that you’re a Christian? Let us pray.

Our God and our Father, we come before you humbled as we think of the life of this man, how he was willing to walk in the light, that where there was darkness, he would confess it, and that he would seek your grace to strengthen. Father, help each of us to place our trust in Christ. And having done that, to live a life that is so different from the world, that people would know by looking at our actions and hearing our words, surely, he knows Jesus. Father, we ask these things in Jesus name. Amen.

Thank you for listening to a firm foundation presented by Princeton Ministries. This programming is supported by you, the listener. You may go to our website, princetonministries.org, or send your donation to Princeton Ministries Post Office Box 2171, Princeton, New Jersey 08543. That’s Princeton Ministries Post Office Box 2171, Princeton, New Jersey 08543. The Lord bless you and Dr. Smith looks forward to hearing from you.